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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23845003">Delivery (from Strife)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonlightPastime/pseuds/MoonlightPastime'>MoonlightPastime</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Captivating [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(brief) Misunderstandings, Advent children, Anal Fingering, Angst, Anxiety Attacks, BAMF Andrea Rhodea, Blood and Injury, Blow Jobs, Cannon Compliant AU, Cloud Strife Has Mental Health Issues, Cloud Strife is getting better at feelings, Cock Rings, Compliation (except for Dirge), Deepthroating, Emotional Edging, Explicit Language, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Fluff, Frottage, Gen, Hand Jobs, Identity Issues, Intercrural Sex, M/M, Masturbation, Minor Character Death, Motion Sickness (brief), Multiple Orgasms, Oral Fixation, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Overstimulation, Panic Attacks, Porn with Feelings, Praise Kink, Prostate Massage, Remake compliant, Rimming, Safewords, Sex Toys, Slow Burn, Spoilers, Strength Kink, Vomiting (brief), for both Remake and Compilation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:08:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>347,140</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23845003</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonlightPastime/pseuds/MoonlightPastime</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years after Cloud walked out of his life, Andrea finds himself in Edge City. Rebuilding his life and trying to move past the ache in his heart. When he calls a local delivery service to take a package to Kalm, life decides to blindside him once again.</p><p>Cloud Strife's the only one who's ever caught and kept Andrea's eye.</p><p>And this time Andrea's determined to catch his.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Andrea Rhodea/Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife (past)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Captivating [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718245</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1469</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>685</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Past Comes Knocking</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey all- so this is a continuation of my fic "C'est la vie'. Same timeline and events and all that.</p><p>So this one's largely going to be a lot of headcanons and Compilation stuff. Except Dirge because frankly- No Thanks. I'm crossing the Remake with Compilation to create a kind of hybrid. And I don't want to screw with canon too much and just want to write more of these two. Because I think that sounds fun and I don't want to wait 80 years to find out where Remake's going.</p><p> (but also- holy shit am I excited to see where Remake's going). </p><p>Anyway! So for the purposes of this story I'm running with the assumption that things play out largely the same in the long run. Destiny and the will of the Planet and all that. Current timeline in this story runs about six months after Advent Children- which fun fact was my first experience ever with the VII universe.</p><p>But...yeah this is gonna get rambly if I let it so I'm gonna end it here and hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The advertisement for “STRIFE DELIVERY SERVICE” is a plain one. Just the name, a number and a painfully unoriginal slogan. But word on the street says the service is the most reliable one around these days. And Andrea needs that assurance with this particular parcel.</p><p>With years of practise now, he tucks away the little ache at the name Strife. Too easy to conjure up hazy, half remembered images if he lingers on those thoughts. It’s an uncommon problem. Strife’s a rare name after all. Never mind the fact he’s only ever heard it attached to one person.</p><p>Rare as the man who’d caught his eye.</p><p>Andrea picks up the phone. Dials out. He’s been dithering around long enough and he hates being indecisive. Within ten minutes and a quick, but friendly chat with a young woman, Andrea has his name in an apparently sizable que. Still he has multiple assurances their courier’s very quick. It isn’t as though the package is time sensitive or anything. Andrea thanks her graciously for her time and effort.</p><p>By six o’clock AM only two days later, Andrea finds himself waiting in his kitchen. Sipping a cup of strongly brewed coffee, parcel sitting on the table by the door so it’s ready for the courier to take. The call came yesterday evening shortly after he got home. Nearly a full day sooner than he’d been expecting.</p><p>The strong brew helps waken his groggy nerves. The distant rush of traffic the only noise in the apartment. Amplifying how empty it feels. Not for the first time since Meteorfall, Andrea finds himself mourning a little. Missing Jules and the gang. His Boy’s and Girl’s and their easy, familial camaraderie. Wall Market may have been the seediest underbelly of Midgar, but it’d been Andrea’s home for his entire life. Even now seeing the ruin of the once mighty city in the distance gives him a pang close to homesickness.</p><p>Life’s certainly changed a lot these past two and a half years.</p><p>Andrea’s nearly finished his drink when he hears the low roar of an engine outside. Much closer than the others. He shoots a quick glance at the clock; not quite seven yet. They’re early. <em>Better than late</em>, he supposes, climbing to his feet. The noise of the engine guts out. In less than a minute there’s a firm knock at the door.</p><p>“Just a moment!” Andrea calls, making his way to the door. He throws the dead-bolt and pulls it open. Tugging on his showman’s smile. “Apologies for the wait. I’m afraid you caught me—”</p><p>He stops. Heart leaping into his throat. Smile faltering.</p><p>A pair of horribly, wonderfully familiar eyes stare back at him. Wide and bright in a way he’s only ever seen them accomplish.</p><p>Cloud Strife is standing on his doorstep. With a delivery slip in hand.</p><p>Oh.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Foot in the Door</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“...Andrea...?”</p><p>The surprise in Cloud’s low voice isn’t unwarranted. Andrea knows he’s a far cry from the owner of the infamous ‘Honeybee Inn’ these days. His showy clothes lost in the sudden, desperate exodus from Midgar. His beard a little fuller. A few more lines on his face from the wild ups and downs of life as the Planet tries to heal. He doesn’t get self conscious. But the way Cloud’s...well... <em>staring</em> at him makes it feel almost warranted.</p><p>“Hello Cloud.” Andrea finds his voice again after a moment. Remembering to pull on a proper smile too. “It’s been a long time.”</p><p>“...Yeah.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help it. Can’t help the way his eyes and attention wander. Drinking in the sight of the last person who’d ever caught his eye. The only one who’s kept it. Through the days, months and literal years between. Watercolor memories wrapped in gauze and tucked at the back of his mind for safe keeping. Dragged out into the light when the whispers and rumours would brush against his ears. Or in the dead of night when he aches for his old life.</p><p>Cloud’s just as captivating as those washed out memories Andrea keeps so close to his heart. More so, because he’s here and real. But there’s also something very different about him too.</p><p>And it isn’t just the lack of a sword.</p><p>His hair’s the same, if perhaps a touch tamer. His eyes still as captivating as the rare cloudless skies above.</p><p>He seems...lesser? But even as he thinks it Andrea knows that’s not quite right. Quieter then perhaps? Though it’s hard to imagine a more taciturn person than Cloud to begin with. Even now he’s just standing there. Blue-green eyes pinning Andrea in place. The surprise seems to have faded. Falling into that frustrating, placid mask Andrea remembers too well. But even that doesn’t seem to fit right on his face now. Something hovering just at the edge of it.</p><p>The blond shifts his weight in a whisper of heavy black material and the click of metal.</p><p>“I—”</p><p>“Cloud!”</p><p>A high, boyish voice interrupts whatever words the blond found for him. Andrea doesn’t know if he should be grateful for that. Andrea looks over Cloud's shoulder to see a child sprinting across the street towards them. A messy tangle of reddish brown curls, highlighting round, freckled cheeks. Blue eyes, but darker than Cloud’s. More midnight in them than daylight.</p><p>Speaking of the man, Cloud finally turns away from Andrea. Attention falling to the boy as he stumbles to a halt before them.</p><p>“Hey, I got the— oh.” The boy’s bright smile falters when he sees Andrea. Immediately a hand goes up to fuss with his messy hair. “Sorry. I didn’t realize you were with a customer.”</p><p>“It’s fine, Denzel. Go wait by Fenrir.” There’s an edge of fondness in Cloud’s voice as he speaks. So much warmer than Andrea ever remembers hearing from him.</p><p>“ ‘Kay.” Denzel says, offering Andrea a sheepish wave. “Sorry mister.”</p><p>“No trouble at all.” Andrea replies, smiling as the boy trots off down the street, heading towards a large black and dull gold motorcycle parked along the side. It must be Cloud’s. Andrea’s not a vehicle expert by any stretch, but even he can tell the bike’s a masterful work. The color scheme borders on nostalgic.</p><p>Andrea’s not sure if it’s just him, but Cloud looks like he gets even more tense after Andrea speaks. When the other turns back to him, there’s something shadowy in his expression. Hovering just on the edge of uncertainty.</p><p>It’s been a long time since Andrea’s tongue has failed him. Cloud's the one who breaks the tense silence.</p><p>“That the package?” Andrea’s not sure if it’s his memory failing him or what, but Cloud sounds...different. The tone of his voice somehow softer, with a touch of hesitance in it. Though that’s probably as much from this situation as anything else. Drags himself from his musings as Cloud points to his’s side.</p><p>“Hmmm? Oh, yes.” Andrea’d nearly forgotten. Forgotten why Cloud Strife’s shown up at his door step nearly three years after their last encounter. Getting lost in those eyes again much too easily. “Here.”</p><p>Cloud accepts the carefully wrapped parcel. He doesn’t look at Andrea. “It fragile?”</p><p>“No. Just some old documents and things.” Cloud nods, tucking it against his side. “Thank you.”</p><p>“It’s a job.” Cloud says and the words sting more than Andrea’d ever thought they could. Though maybe it’s the curt, business-like tone of his voice. For a brief flash of an instant Cloud’s eyes meet Andrea’s. Something flickers through them too fast for Andrea to catch. “I— We’ll notify you once it reaches it’s destination.”</p><p>Andrea watches Cloud scamper back down the steps. Or at least, that’s what it would look like if the man wasn’t so damnably elegant. Watches him settle the package safely into a secure carrier, then boost Denzel onto the bike. As he gets the kid settled, Andrea catches the brief glance Cloud casts towards him. Andrea doesn’t know how to disguise his snooping, so he doesn’t. Just offers the other man a wave and a weak smile.</p><p>To his absolute surprise Cloud returns the wave, if only briefly.  Perhaps his intuition of Cloud being...different, somehow, wasn’t so far fetched after all. Then the moment is over and done, Cloud slinging himself over the bike, engine roaring to life. In a peel of rubber and a shriek of childish laughter Cloud disappears as quick as he’d come.</p><p>Andrea heads back in. Trying and failing to ignore the way the click of his door threatens to drag up memories. He heads back to the table and picks up his mug.</p><p>The coffee’s gone ice cold.</p><p>Andrea drinks it anyway. A bitter taste on his tongue to match the feeling in his heart.</p><p>Then he sinks back into his chair. Elbows on the table. Heels of his hands pressed tight to his forehead. A heavy sigh shaking his shoulders.</p><p>So much for ‘easier’.</p><p>Andrea allows himself a moment to nurse the reopened wound on his heart. In truth, though it hurts, a part of Andrea’s full of nothing but relief. For a year after Cloud walked out his door, Andrea’d heard nothing concrete. Whispers, of course, from the day after. Of a break in at Shinra Tower. A ‘threat’ dealt with, apparently. And he’d mourned then. The survivor in him glad he’d cut ties. Spared himself further heartache.</p><p>And then Meteorfall came. And the whispers got been louder. Genuine rumours creeping out of the wood works. Of the Heroes according to some. Of the Destroyers according to others. The Planet herself had silenced all of them for a time. Too busy scurrying about like ants, trying to scrape their lives back together. Andrea'd mourned again for a lot of reasons.</p><p>But now Andrea knows. Not from whispers or rumours or anything else. But with his own eyes he’s seen that Cloud’s alive. And that’s enough of a balm to his heart that Andrea finds it easy to pull himself back together.</p><p>He doesn’t hold any of it against Cloud. Of course not. Andrea’d been the one to put the stake through the heart of whatever’d been between them. And given all that’s happened. All the time, pain and <em>life</em> between them now, Andrea will content himself knowing Cloud’s out there, somewhere. Safe and apparently doing well.</p><p>That’ll be enough.</p><p>...It has to be—</p><p>A knock at his door draws Andrea out of his thoughtful haze. It's nearly eight now and Andrea’s been drifting about, getting ready to leave for work. Strange, he wasn’t expecting anyone else this morning. Throwing the last of his things in his bag, Andrea wanders back to the door and opens it to have his heart stop for the second time that day.</p><p>He isn’t sure why it feels more painful this time.</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea says, more a question than anything. The man before him shifts, twisting to dig in the pockets of his loose pants.</p><p>“I forgot to give you this.” Cloud produces a slip of paper. Something to do with the delivery probably, given the symbol Andrea catches a glimpse of between Cloud’s gloved fingers. But Cloud hovers in place, not handing it over. His free hand curls by his side in a creak of leather. “But that’s not why I’m here.”</p><p>“What do you need?” Andrea knows, even as he says it, that his tone is all wrong. Too soft. Too intimate for the time between them. He’s the one who pushed this man away. For Cloud’s sake, yes. But also, largely, for himself. He doesn’t get to sit here and pretend he knows Cloud. Especially now.</p><p>“Would you— I mean.” Another creak of leather as a furrow knots itself between Cloud’s eyes. “Would it be okay if I—” He rakes a hand through his hair. A heavy, frustrated sigh falling from his lips. Cloud's eyes fix on Andrea’s and Andrea finds himself frozen. “When are you free next?”</p><p>Cloud’s found words for him it seems. And they’re not at all what Andrea was sure they’d be.</p><p>“I’m home by seven most evenings. Sunday’s off more often than not.” Andrea finds an actual, genuine smile eking out onto his face. “If you’re available, perhaps we could try for next week?”</p><p>“I— yeah. Yeah that. Sounds good.” Cloud nods. A stiff, jerky motion. “I’ll see you around, then.”</p><p>Warmth bubbles in Andrea’s gut. Something like hope. “I’ll look forward to it.”</p><p>Cloud looks momentarily surprised by that. But then he nods, another short, sharp gesture. He turns, taking a step down onto the sidewalk. He’s barely made it three steps before Andrea finds his voice again.</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea calls. His heart doing a strange little back flip in his chest when Cloud stops and turns back. “It’s good to see you.”</p><p>And oh. Oh he’s missed that face. Missed the expressions that flicker over it. Subtle and beautiful. Even from here Andrea marvels at the quiet surprise. The flash spark of something familiar in their depths.</p><p>Cloud’s gaze drop from his, giving Andrea a moment to breathe. The blond’s silent for a moment. Then he nods. The smile that flickers to life on Cloud’s face is like watching the sun come out after a day of rain.</p><p>“You too, Andrea.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Catching Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>All Andrea can think is <em>t</em><em>hank god</em> for the studio. Or else he’s entirely certain he would’ve driven himself insane waiting for Sunday. And it’s ridiculous. He knows he’s being more than ridiculous. Pining away for something that’s only a handful of days away. After literal <em>years</em> of nothing.</p><p>Wasn’t there some old saying. Of absence and the fondness of hearts?</p><p>Hell even his fellows notice his distraction. Something Andrea hates because he can’t stand being anything less than professional. This isn’t his beloved Inn after all. He has to prove himself nearly from scratch all over again.</p><p>Claude, the darling Honey boy he once was, is the worst offender. From the moment Andrea walks into the studio that morning Claude is buzzing around him.</p><p>“Well, well, well. <em>Someone </em>looks lively today. Did something good happen?”</p><p>“Good morning to you too, darling.” Andrea says, ducking through the door. Claude following at his heels.</p><p>“Andiii!” Claude whines, shaking his shoulder as the two of them head for the staff room. “Ugh! Yes, good morning. Now please, spill!”</p><p>Andrea steps aside to let the two other instructors— Maise and Harrlow— slip passed. Ignoring their skeptical looks with months of practise. Claude follows him in because of course he does. “Why do you think there’s anything <em>to</em> spill?”</p><p>“Because I haven’t seen that look in your eyes in ages. Not since that darling boy— what was his name again?”</p><p>“Cloud.” And it’s the strangest feeling in the world. To say that name and it not be accompanied by a stab of regret or grief. But by that strange, shimmering hope still logged firmly in his chest.</p><p>“Yes that one— Cloud! God now there was a pretty soul.” Claude sighs dreamily and Andrea can’t help chuckling. Cloud had stolen a good number of his little Bee’s hearts back in the day.</p><p>“Yes he is.” Andrea’s caught himself daydreaming more than a few times on the commute over here. He catches his slip of the tongue the moment Claude’s face lights up.</p><p>“...Is?” Claude gasps looking simultaneously scandalized and delighted. “No. No— don’t tell me!” Andrea has no idea what kind of expression he makes, but Claude seems to take it as an answer. Squeals and throws his arms around Andrea’s shoulders. “Oh Andi I’m so happy for you!”</p><p>Now that, Andrea wasn’t expecting. “What?”</p><p>“Well you found him again, right? We were all worried about you after that night.” Claude’s expression saddens a little as he strokes Andrea’s cheek. “You lost a little of your spark after Cloud left. None of the others ever did that.”</p><p>“Is that so?” It hurts a little to think he’d slipped at all. That his dear Bees had fussed about him behind the scenes. He knew his affections towards Cloud had been obvious to anyone with eyes. But he’d thought himself better at hiding his resulting heartache.</p><p>“Andi. I know you. We’ve worked together for years now. So I say this with nothing but love.” Claude steeples his fingers together and points them at Andrea with the most serious expression he can manage. “Don’t fuck around this time— with his feelings <em>or</em> with yours. You’re both beautiful people who deserve much better than that.”</p><p>“Claude. There might not <em>be</em> a ‘this time’. All we’ve agreed on is to meet up Sunday evening.” And Andrea’s had to fight tooth and nail with himself not to expect more than that. Not to <em>want</em> it.</p><p>It’s a losing battle.</p><p>“Seriously!?” Claude’s eyes light up like a kid at Christmas. “Oh my god, do you need help getting ready? Please. I will break out my kits and everything.”</p><p>“Claude.”</p><p>“I’m completely serious. I even know where I hid my best stuff.”</p><p>“It’s not a date.” <em>Unfortunately</em>. Andrea muses as he puts away his bag.</p><p>Claude just waves a hand at him. Starry-eyed and clearly already painting an image in his head. “Who cares!? It’s you. It’s<em> Him</em>. If that isn’t worth our best what is?”</p><p>Andrea just shakes his head, pats Claude’s shoulder as he passes. “I have to get to class.”</p><p>“You’ve got five minutes. They can wait— hey!” Whirling around Claude gapes at him as Andrea slips out the door. “You can’t just walk away from me after dropping a bombshell like that! Andi. Andi? Andi!!”</p><p>With many a year of practise, Andrea ignores the plaintive calls of his long time cohort. He pauses outside the door to the practise room, rallying himself with a deep breath. Tucking all of the messiness of his personal life away. Tugging on his winning smile and pasting himself back into the persona of an instructor. With a final decisive nod, he throws open the door.</p><p>“Good morning my lovely flowers! How are we today?”</p><p>It’s only a week, after all.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>When the knock sounds at his door Sunday evening, Andrea doesn’t feel remotely prepared for it. Despite all his fussing and fretting over nothing. Despite his hours of touch and go sleep. Mind spinning like a tire in mud. Swinging wildly between hope and worry. Confidence and uncertainty. And subsequently taking on way too much work in a bid to get the stress to go away.</p><p>Andrea takes one last look at himself in the mirror. Good. He doesn’t look even half the mess he feels like. In fact he looks rather good, all things considered. He hasn’t dolled himself up too much for tonight. Just a relatively simple, dark green, v-neck shirt. Formfitting with the cuffs rolled to his elbows. And a more comfortable pair of black slacks and slim heels. Chosen not for lack of desire, but rather a desire not to seem too forward. Things are touchy enough as it is without Cloud feeling pressured. And since this is absolutely not-a-date— despite what Claude’s been tittering at him for the past week— Andrea doesn’t feel bad for not making himself go all out.</p><p>He tilts his head and the light catches on the faint shimmer of gold in his pale green eye shadow. Claude, the sneak, slipped a handful of his old supplies into Andrea's bag yesterday as he was rushing out the door. He hadn’t even noticed till this afternoon when he’d let himself actually start planning what he was going to wear.</p><p>He closes the door behind him as he leaves his bedroom. Nobody needs to see the whirlwind of clothes and such left in his wake. Especially Cloud.</p><p>He can’t bear to give himself even another moment to ponder over anymore ‘what-if’s’ and practically sprints to the front door. Only just reigning himself in to open the door at a normal pace.</p><p>Andrea almost shouldn’t have bothered calming himself down. The sight of Cloud does plenty to shut up any errant thoughts left in his head.</p><p>The sun’s mostly set by now, but what light there is catches Cloud’s hair and makes the ends of it glow like molten gold. It reflects off of his incredible, two-toned eyes making them somehow brighter than Andrea’s ever seen them.</p><p>It’s the first time Andrea’s ever seen him out of his military style too- barring the dress of course. Apparently the man does know what color is— even if only slightly. His shirt a deep blue, bordering on navy. Tucked beneath a smokey grey, hooded jacket. The short sleeves hanging somewhat loose around his upper arms. His legs clad in some type of cargo-pants, black material clinging a little more snugly to his legs than Andrea’s used to seeing on him.</p><p>Never in his life has Andrea had a ‘thing’ for casual wear. But Cloud, as ever, quickly becomes his exception to the rule.</p><p>Good god, he is still the most captivating being Andrea’s ever laid eyes on.</p><p>“Good evening.” Andrea tries really, very hard to keep the purr out of his voice. Pretty sure he only has marginal success. Cloud has far too much of an effect on his self control. But if Cloud notices at all he doesn’t let it show.</p><p>“Hey.” Cloud shifts his weight, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. Andrea catches the brief sweep of Cloud’s eyes. Feels it like a physical thing along his body before the other man offers him an oddly apologetic look. “Sorry if I’m late.”</p><p>“Not at all. Please, come in.” Stepping aside with a sweeping gesture, Andrea ushers the other in. Cloud squeezes by him, close enough that Andrea can smell a faint hint of motorcycle oil. Cloud pauses to strip off his heavy soled boots and gloves, setting the later aside on the small table at Andrea’s direction.</p><p>Cloud turns back to him then, hovering at the end of the hallway. Some lingering expression in the back of his eyes Andrea can’t quite place. But the simple— or perhaps not so simple— fact of Cloud standing there twists something inside him. Something like relief. The words are out of Andrea’s mouth before he can stop himself.</p><p>“It really is good to see you.” Before the silence can take them, or the weight of the moment grow to be too much, Andrea leads them into the living room. Sinking into his favourite armchair while Cloud perches at one end of the couch.</p><p>"I wanted to thank you again, by the way. I had a hell of a time figuring out a way to get that parcel to Kalm."</p><p>"It's fine." Cloud says, hand's folded in his lap. “How long’ve you been in Edge?”</p><p>“Oh what is it now...a year perhaps? Close to anyway. Things were a little chaotic. What about you?”</p><p>“Bit longer than that."</p><p>Andrea hums. There's that tight lipped attitude he knows so well. Still, it's funny to think they've been living in the same city so long with no knowledge of the other. In the back of his mind Andrea starts pinning the little scraps of information into the massive blank that is Cloud Strife from the moment he walked away.</p><p>There's one small detail that comes to mind almost immediately. One small, redhaired, blue-eyed detail. Sticking out not only from his association with Cloud, but also because of how Cloud acted around him. So different to the man in Andrea's memories.</p><p>“The boy who was with you the other day. What was his name again?”</p><p>“Denzel? What about him?” Cloud sounds torn between surprise and confusion.</p><p>“Nothing. He just seemed very fond of you. It was sweet.” Andrea remembers stories one of his more earnest dancers used to tell him. Of the blue eyed, stern faced mercenary who’d hunt down toad kings for three gil a head. Who’d grumble and roll his eyes at the kids antics, yet still ensure they were safe and looked after. The children were devastated, apparently, when their new ‘idol’ up and disappeared.</p><p>And Andrea admits, silently in the depths of his mind, that he's curious. The boy hadn’t looked much at all like Cloud. Even seemed a little too old to even entertain the idea. But still...</p><p>Three years is a long time. And who knew where life had led Cloud before that.</p><p>But Cloud just huffs, something bright but a touch sad in his eyes. “Yeah. We’re looking after him now.”</p><p>“We?”</p><p>“Tifa and me.”</p><p>It’s a strange feeling that settles in Andrea’s chest. The only part of which he addresses is the joy to hear Tifa’s name. “How <em>is</em> lovely Tifa?”</p><p>“Tifa’s good. We uh, kinda do this whole delivery thing together. She helps me with calls and all that.” Oh! That must’ve been whom Andrea’d spoken to on the phone. He feels bad he didn’t recognize her. “Plus she’s got a bar downtown, too. Seventh Heaven.” Andrea’s heard of it in passing. Pity he hadn’t checked it out sooner. He’d liked Tifa a lot. It’s good to hear she’s doing well.</p><p>“That sounds wonderful. I’ll have to pay a visit soon.” </p><p>Thinking of Tifa brings to mind the other young lady Andrea’d seen attached to Cloud’s hip. Some of the whispers that'd reached him hinted that Aerith was the reason Cloud had been trying to get topside after Sector 7's collapse. It’d always hurt Andrea a little to think he hadn’t seen Aerith again after that memorable evening. She was such an adventurous soul. “What’s Aerith up to these days? I haven’t—”</p><p>Andrea stops. As soon as the words are out of his mouth, Cloud stiffens. Something horrific shadowing his face. Bleeding into his eyes. Andrea gets a sick, nauseating feeling in his gut. Oh he knows that look. He knows it well and immediately tries to backpedal.</p><p>“I’m sorry— forget I asked—”</p><p>“No.” Cloud says, voice curt. But then his shoulder’s fall. All of him collapsing down, a shadow in Cloud’s skin. His right hand drifts up to curl against his upper arm. Andrea recalls the sight of a thin, red ribbon tied there. “No it— it's fine. I just forget there are people who don’t know already.”</p><p>
  <em>Oh...</em>
</p><p>“Aerith...” Cloud’s voice is quiet. Something rough blurring the edges. His head dips, gaze distant. “She—” But Cloud stops himself with a shake of his head. The ex-merc takes a slow breath, straightening up. His eyes still pained when they meet Andrea’s. But it’s tempered by something softer. “She died doing what she did best. Making sure everyone else was taken care of.”</p><p>Andrea’s heart clenches. It’s a horrible thing to think about. That sweet young woman being gone. Such a bright light faded from their world. And it’s more than evident that, whatever had happened, it hurt Cloud. Deeply. “I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“Yeah. Me too.”</p><p>There’s a layer to Cloud’s rough voice, an undercurrent of meaning Andrea doesn’t know how to read. Can’t begin to understand. Like reading a story and being given only the very last sentence. Silence hangs in the air for a time. But then Cloud sighs and shakes his head.</p><p>“How about you? It’s weird not seeing you on a stage.”</p><p>Andrea can hardly fault him for the change in subject. Ungraceful though it might have been. Such grief certainly explains the shadows in those bright eyes. Andrea sprawls a little in his chair, calling up long ingrained instincts. To distract and soothe. Take another s mind off of the world’s unpleasantness.</p><p>“Flatterer.” Andrea says with a grin that borders on sly. “I’ve turned my talents in new directions. I’m an instructor at a small studio just on the edge of town.”</p><p>“Hm. Sounds nice.”</p><p>Cloud’s right about that. Andrea knows he was lucky to find it at all. Luckier still that the world’s still on it’s head, and the woman in charge had looked at talent alone and not background.</p><p>“It is. Though I do miss the big stage now and then.”</p><p>“Why not go to the Golden Saucer then?” Cloud tips his head, big eyes adorably confused. “Don’t they do that whole theatre thing?”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, though the performer in him writhes a little at the other’s ignorance. “Ah, theatre. Not as much my thing I’m afraid. I am and always have been far more dancer than actor.”</p><p><em>Good enough of one to drive him away last time though</em>.</p><p>Andrea shakes the errant thought away. He doesn’t need the reminder. “What about you? How’d Cloud Strife go from the most infamous mercenary in Midgar to delivery boy extraordinaire?”</p><p>“How much time you got?” There’s so much wry, dry humour in Cloud’s voice that Andrea laughs. A tiny grin tugs at the corner of Cloud’s mouth for an instant. Then he shrugs, not quite meeting Andrea’s eyes. “I, uh. I guess it just sort of. Happened? I mean. It’s a service people need. ‘Specially with how dangerous the world’s gotten.” Ah yes. Danger and Cloud seem to go hand in hand- perhaps a little too often in Andrea’s opinion. “This let’s me travel around a lot. Deal with monsters still. Only difference is I’m running goods around too now.”</p><p>“Hmm. Fair enough.” Andrea can’t help but smile a little. He should’ve known the siren call of mercenary work wouldn’t leave Cloud alone. “Life’s led you down some interesting paths.”</p><p>“Not really.” Something flickers through Cloud’s eyes. Sharp, yet weary too. “...Well. I guess yeah but—” Cloud fumbles for a moment, brow twisting as he works his jaw. Andrea spares him. He knows well enough when there’s things someone doesn’t want to discuss. And he has a track record to keep with Cloud. Not to pry into his affairs too deeply. Andrea can’t bring himself to break that streak- especially not now.</p><p>“I understand.” Andrea says, holding up a hand. The grateful look Cloud sends him is all Andrea needs. “Would you like anything to drink?”</p><p>“I live in a bar.” Cloud replies, raising a brow.</p><p>“So? Doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a drink outside it. I may not be as talented as dear Tifa, but I have been known to make a mean cocktail now and then.”</p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>Andrea mixes them their drinks. Cloud assuring him he’s fine with whatever as long as it’s hard- and oh, <em>god</em> does Andrea have to bite nearly through his tongue not to take the unintentional bait. As he goes to pour them, there’s a blare of ear bleeding cheery noise. Even Cloud starts at the sudden sound. His hands fly to the pockets of his pants. Tugging out a sleek black phone. He eyes the screen a moment and then sighs.</p><p>“Goddammit Yuffie—” He mutters under his breath and a moment later the sound gets cut off as Cloud ends the call without answering. He tosses the phone onto the table and looks at Andrea. “Sorry.”</p><p>“No trouble at all.” Andrea says, a little surprised Cloud even has the wherewithal to notice it’s bad form. He doesn’t have the most elegant social graces.</p><p>And then Andrea immediately reminds himself very firmly that Cloud’s breaking no unspoken-but-understood rules because this is <em>not</em>-<em>a-date</em>.</p><p>When Cloud has to silence his phone for the third time in less than a minute Andrea chuckles.</p><p>“You can answer if you need. I don’t mind.”</p><p>“Nope.” Cloud says, voice flat as he mutes it again. “Using you as an excuse. Deal with it.”</p><p>Somehow Andrea gets the impression even if Cloud was off all on his lonesome that he still wouldn’t answer. Still, he doesn’t mind being a reason for Cloud.</p><p>“Lucky me.” Andrea murmurs, taking a sip of his drink. Cloud’s expression flickers for a moment, a distant light in his eyes. But he shakes it away the next moment and shoots back half of what’s left in his glass. Andrea arches a brow at that. “Not a lightweight, are you?”</p><p>Cloud shakes his head, rolling the cup between his hands. “Nah. Stuff barely touches me.”</p><p>Ah. Of course. Makes sense Shinra would build their greatest troops up with resistances to such easy distractions. Wanting them to be fighting fit at all times.</p><p>“That’s too bad.” Andrea muses, offering the bottle as Cloud finishes his off. But Cloud just shakes his head, setting the empty glass aside. Andrea shrugs internally and tops off his own drink. A strange kind of quiet falls between them. Not uncomfortable necessarily. But it feels...heavy somehow. A breath caught and held between one moment and the next.</p><p>Andrea can only bear the pressure for a few minutes.</p><p>“Cloud?”</p><p>“Hmm?” Cloud answers almost immediately. Like he’d been waiting for Andrea to break the metaphorical ice. The familiarity of that almost makes the dancer smile. Almost, but a questions been burning on the tip of his tongue since before Cloud ever walked through his door. The one that's kept him up the longest in the dead of night.</p><p>“Why did you want to see me?”</p><p>“I...” Cloud’s voice immediately sputters out into nothingness. His eyes drifting away to stare out the dark window. “I wanted to see how you were doing.”</p><p>Andrea waits. Because there’s something else. That same strange shadow that’s been lurking at the corner of Cloud’s expression since he showed up on Andrea’s doorstep last week. And Andrea desperately wants to know what it is.</p><p>The ice in his glass clinks in the silence. A moment shattered. Cloud seems to sink in on himself. One hand curled loosely on the table top. Eyes darting blankly across the air. Then his brow furrows, a look of wry pain in the depths of his eyes.</p><p>“...And I missed you.” Andrea’s breath catches high and sharp in his chest. Briefly glad he didn’t just take a drink because he knows he’d choke on it. Across from him Cloud flinches. “I know. It’s stupid. It was nothing. Just stress relief or whatever. I get that I’m not— that it wasn’t—”</p><p>Somewhere beneath the miles of careful walls Andrea’s put up over the years of his life, he feels his heart crack. A tiny chink in his armor as he realizes the hurt he inflicted on Cloud was not as small as he’d hoped.</p><p>Andrea can’t stop himself. Reaching across the table to lay his hand over Cloud’s. The other starts, eyes jerking back to his.</p><p>“That isn’t true.” Andrea fights to keep the aching tremor from his voice. To meet Cloud head on so that there can be no misunderstanding. “Cloud, you were— no. You <em>are </em>a hell of a lot more than that.”</p><p>The shadow in Cloud's eyes flickers. “Then...”</p><p>In the back of his mind Andrea hears the click of an old door. Feels the words on his tongue and even though they burn, Cloud deserves to know the truth. And more than that he deserves an apology. “I thought it’d be easier on both of us. To cut ties early. But I was clearly wrong about that. And I’m sorry.”</p><p>“You don’t gotta apologize to me.” If it were anyone else, Andrea would say he’s being placated. But it’s Cloud and he sounds nothing but bluntly sincere as he continues. “The way things were headed. The way <em>I</em> was— it couldn’t have ended well.”</p><p>“Maybe not. But it could’ve ended better.”</p><p>Cloud’s silence at that is near damning. Andrea takes the pain of this moment and tucks it away. Deep down in his heart so he doesn’t forget it. So he doesn’t let himself make the same mistake again.</p><p>Miraculously Cloud hasn’t pulled away from him. So Andrea takes a chance and squeezes his hand a little tighter. Cloud’s eyes flicker to his. So much uncertainty and quiet hurt in them that Andrea aches under its weight. But Cloud has been honest and open with him so far. Who’s Andrea to turn away from that? To cower and hide away his thoughts?</p><p>
  <em>Don’t be afraid— isn’t that what you told him?</em>
</p><p>“I’ve thought about you everyday since.”</p><p>Apparently, that’s not what Cloud's expecting. His eyes go wide. Surprise pushing aside the hurt for a moment. His voice barely above a whisper as he speaks. “Why...?”</p><p>Around and around these moments of theirs go, like a serpent trying to catch it’s own tail. History repeating. Iit digs at Andrea’s heart just as sharply as the last time. He can’t let Cloud go without him understanding— not this time. “Because you caught my eye, Cloud. In a way no one else ever has. Not before or since.” He grips Cloud’s hand a little tighter then. Giving himself strength. Giving himself another memory just in case. “And even if it’s nothing more than this evening...” He meets those eyes that hold a piece of his soul in their depths. Watches them unflinchingly as he speaks. “You are not <em>nothing</em> to me, Cloud. You never have been. And I strongly suspect you never will be.”</p><p>Cloud stares back at him. His face blank and slack with shock. His eyes anything but. Andrea watches him stop and start half a dozen attempts to speak. Waits it out, because Andrea’s said his piece. Now it’s Cloud’s turn.</p><p>Cloud still hasn’t pulled away from him.</p><p>“...So what now?” The words come quiet when they come. Just a heartbreaking kind of uncertainty. Cloud lost in a storm, looking for a helping hand. At least this time, Andrea has one to offer. If only because he’s just as lost.</p><p>“I'm not sure.” Andrea isn’t used to not knowing what the next step is. It makes his stomach churn unsteadily. A mix of nerves and excitement he hasn’t felt in ages. The world around him has a sort of rhythm to it. A dance he can learn and master. And he has had his life mastered for years now. Started building his own choreography.</p><p>But then Cloud Strife walked in and changed the whole damn song— apparently entirely without meaning to.</p><p>There’s something strangely liberating in that realization. To find they're standing on equal ground at this moment. After a moment, Andrea looks at Cloud again.</p><p>“What do you want, Cloud?”</p><p>It’s another echo of the past. This one is infinitely more important. More precious.</p><p>“I don’t know...” Cloud sighs and it sounds so much like defeat. Andrea’s chest tightens. He goes to speak, to tell Cloud it’s alright— because it is. But Cloud continues before he can get out more than a breath. “But I think...I wanna try.”</p><p>There’s a strange weight to the word. Something loaded and meaningful. Like staring into dark water and knowing there’s a world below it, but only seeing the surface. A kind of icy wonder and terror squeezing around Andrea’s lungs. He swallows, mouth strangely dry. Hope flickering like candle-fire in his chest.</p><p>“Try...what exactly?”</p><p>“Whatever it was— whatever <em>this</em> is.” Cloud’s hand twists beneath his. Turning to lace the ends of their fingers together. “Do you—”</p><p>Cloud’s phone blares again, but it’s an actual ringtone this time as opposed to the mundane noise from earlier. Cloud starts, Staring at it blankly for a moment before something torn between frustration and concern furrows his brow. The look he sends Andrea is purely apologetic. A dangerous combination with those eyes of his.</p><p>“Sorry. This one I’ve gotta take.” Cloud pulls away and the void where the heat of his skin just was is like frost-bite. He walks away, turning the corner out of Andrea’s sight, but not before he catches a concerned, “Tifa? What happened—”</p><p>Cloud isn’t gone long, no more than a handful of minutes. Andrea nurses his drink, trying to call some semblance of order to his whirling thoughts. When Cloud appears again he’s tugging on his gloves, a pair of goggles hanging from his neck.</p><p>“I gotta go.”</p><p>It would hurt more if the man didn’t look so regretful. Andrea pulls on a smile but finds himself unable to hide his concern.</p><p>“I hope it’s nothing too serious?”</p><p>Cloud shakes his head, but there’s a worried look in his eyes. “Denzel had a nightmare. Tifa can usually calm him down, but sometimes...”</p><p>Andrea’s heart goes out to the poor boy.“Of course. You’d better hurry then.”</p><p>With a sigh Cloud nods, but then he digs something out of one of his pockets. Stepping over to the table, he holds it out. “Here.”</p><p>Andrea takes the jagged little paper. On it is a phone number, clearly written in a hurry.</p><p>
  <em>33-107-1997</em>
</p><p>“I’m not always available but, you know.” Cloud shrugs his shoulders, something like a smile brushing his features for a moment. “If you need something.”</p><p>Oh. This is Cloud’s personal number. The innocuous scrap of paper suddenly feels like it’s worth a thousand times its weight in gil. The candle in his chest burns a little brighter, dragging a real smile onto his face. “I know who to call.”</p><p>“Right.” Cloud’s shifts his weight back, gesturing a little helplessly over his shoulder. “I gotta—”</p><p>“Yes, you do. And Cloud?”</p><p>“Yeah?” The tentative hope in Cloud's voice just bolsters Andrea's own.</p><p>“I’d like to try too.” Just getting to say the words aloud lifts a weight from Andrea’s shoulders he hadn’t even realized he was carrying. “Whatever this is. So do let me know when you’re available.”</p><p>“I can do that.” Andrea’s heart lurches in his chest. Fluttering against his ribs because, god how’d he forgotten how breath taking Cloud’s real smile is? Small and secretive as a shadow. “’Night.”</p><p>“Good night, Cloud. Good luck.”</p><p>Andrea waits until he can’t hear the sound of Cloud’s bike any longer before he steps outside. Nothing but him, his thoughts and the cool night air. The stars twinkling high overhead. Marvels at them as he always does even three years on. But even their magnificence is dimmed slightly. Overtaken by the realization that, beyond any and all expectations, Andrea’s gotten a second chance. A chance to remedy a mistake he made, in haste and the mere anticipation of hurt. In trying not to get involved.</p><p>Andrea really should’ve known himself better than that.</p><p>He looks down at the paper still cradled in his hand. The number’s already burned into his memory. His second chance starts here, with this. With the knowledge that Cloud himself wants to see what this connection between them is.</p><p>Andrea swears to himself that night. To the host of countless stars above him and to his own heart. That he will not squander this chance life, fate or whatever you want to call it has handed to him.</p><p>Cloud Strife is more than worth the effort.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Rain On My Parade</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>First of all: enormously huge, screaming Wedge jumping off Sector 7 plate shout out and THANK YOU to the lovely Avasti - who's now beta-ing this absolute mess. You have all of my gratitude for the comments, suggestions and critique. ❤️❤️❤️</p><p>And secondly: a huge thank you to everyone who takes the time to read this series. Whether you lurk, kudos, comment, subscribe or bookmark. Just. In general. Bless you all. You make my life a little brighter. ❤️</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rain drums against the window. A rare downpour blurring out the world outside into dull, watercolor smears. Cloud shows up about ten minutes late, looking as petulant as a wet cat. Andrea drags him inside immediately, laughing, before hurrying to grab a few towels.</p><p>In the two weeks after their Sunday meetup, the two men develop a kind of rhythm. Andrea sends Cloud texts throughout the day. Most just innocuous nonsense of his day or work or anything else that comes to mind. And when Cloud remembers to, he'll respond. Usually just short, oftentimes one word answers. But they brighten Andrea’s day whenever they come, or whatever they are. Sometimes, when Cloud’s out on a job usually,  Andrea even catches him on the phone. The awkwardness of their conversations slowly fading down and out. Each of them realizing the other isn’t expecting them to be anything but themselves. Something Andrea feels is particularly important to Cloud, given how he struggles with social things.</p><p>And when Cloud gets home, or even has a rare few days off, he’ll be the one to reach out. Honouring his not quite promise to Andrea to share his availability. And when it works out that they can meet up, they do. Often in Andrea’s home. But sometimes out and about in Edge, visiting old haunts and finding new places.</p><p>It’s when Cloud is physically present that Andrea remembers just how far gone he is on this man. Gets lost watching him do...anything. Drinking him in like water after a drought. Worse is that Cloud generally remains oblivious. Andrea’s always known that Cloud underestimates just how attractive he is. The stares he gets in public seem to glance right off him and when he does notice, he tends to bristle under the attention. Uncomfortable and confused. Always assuming people see him as something...odd. Or at least that’s how Andrea’s come to understand it.</p><p>On the rare occasion that Cloud does catch Andrea staring his reaction is always different. Sometimes he’ll brush it off. Other’s he’ll ask Andrea what’s wrong. Rare moments he’ll even tease him, though never about the real reason Andrea’s distracted.</p><p>Then there are the moments Andrea catches Cloud doing the looking. Moments when he finds himself hovering on the edge of a cliff. Held in place only by the steady, but frustratingly unreadable expression in those two-toned eyes. The air between them so charged it feels like a storm front hovering at the base of his spine. Rumbling and threatening to send bolts of pure lighting straight through his nerves.</p><p>Cloud always plays it off. Always turns or walks away first. Leaves Andrea all at once wanting to laugh hysterically and cry bitterly into a good, strong drink. An urge which Andrea always pushes away because to waste a single moment in Cloud’s rare presence is unthinkable.</p><p>It’s a different dynamic to the one they briefly shared in Midgar. One driven largely by intrigue. But in many ways, Andrea finds himself cherishing this one infinitely more. Because Cloud becomes a person to him over those weeks. Rather than some shadowy, unspecific memory of a few stolen moments. And Andrea has always, <em> always </em> preferred solid reality to the fleetingness of dreams.</p><p>“I must say I wondered where you were.” Andrea says, tossing the larger towel at Cloud. He catches it with a muted, ‘Thanks.’ and gets to work trying to wring out the worst of his clothes and warm the bare skin of his arms.</p><p>“Got caught out in the storm on my last run.” Cloud says, raking a gloved hand through his pathetically flattened hair. He frowns and huffs when a big chunk of it just falls back into his eyes anyway.</p><p>Andrea can’t keep still. The sight’s too precious. The opportunity too perfect. Throwing the towel in his hands over Cloud’s head, Andrea sets to work trying to dry his sopping hair. A bit too vigorously perhaps, given Cloud's muffled complaints.</p><p>“Hey— easy!” Cloud says with a yelp that Andrea knows he’ll vehemently deny.</p><p>Andrea laughs, but relents. Sshifting the towel back carefully. “Sorry. I couldn’t...”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes are a bright, brilliant contrast to the dull green terrycloth. His hair peeking out in unreasonably adorable, erratic bunches. Andrea suddenly feels like he’s the one who’s half drowned. His tongue feels clumsy and too big for his mouth. That electric, buzzing tension shivers through his nerve endings again. Somehow worse than all the times before.</p><p>Andrea’s heartbeat is too loud in his ears. Thundering in a hard, rapid pulse. With Cloud’s heightened senses surely he hears it too—</p><p>Cloud’s not turning away.</p><p>The thought catches in Andrea’s mind, like a scratch in a record. Static, spin and repeat. Cloud’s not turning away and the annoyance in his expression is fading fast. Melting away like snow in early spring. Leaving behind something wide and wondering. Like he’s just realized something. It’s so familiar Andrea’s mind merges this moment with the memory near seamlessly.</p><p>The last time Andrea saw that look on Cloud’s face had been the night in Midgar—</p><p>Before Andrea broke his heart.</p><p>The reminder snaps Andrea’s thoughts into sobriety. Hurtles him back into the present and how close he is toeing the line again. Andrea <em> can’t </em> let himself fall into old habits. He can’t. He’s lost Cloud once before by pushing too far, too fast, too hard. It’s too big a risk to take. Andrea can wait. He does know how to be patient. He’ll learn more if he must. Anything it takes. There’s nothing Andrea isn’t willing to do to make sure that Cloud feels comfortable around him. So that he stays as long as he’s willing to.</p><p>“I think you brought in half the storm with you. We’re going to need another towel. Wait here a minute.”</p><p>Because Andrea knows there’s no such thing as a third chance.</p><p>He gets maybe a step away before a hand closes around his upper arm. But it’s Cloud’s words that stops him dead in his tracks.</p><p>“I hate feeling like I’m walking on eggshells around you.”</p><p>There’s so much frustrated pain in Cloud’s voice that Andrea nearly trips in his haste to face him again.</p><p>“W-what?”</p><p>“I don’t know how to— to do this. Any of it.” As Cloud speaks he gestures to the space between them with his free hand. The other’s still tight around Andrea’s arm. “I don’t get...’<em> normal’ </em>. But I didn’t think that’s what we had anyway.”</p><p>“I—” Andrea can’t find his tongue. The words all stopped up in the cotton fuzz that his mind has become. Nothing but a bunch of shrieking, incoherent static. Heart screaming that he’s <em> screwed up again </em>—</p><p>“I’ve been following your lead cuz that’s what you told me to do before. But I— Andrea I can’t just follow along anymore.”</p><p>He’s made a misstep somewhere. Amateur mistake. Too busy watching his partners feet, making sure that he didn’t step on anyone’s toes. Not enough time paying attention to them, of seeing what <em> they </em> want.</p><p>Cloud lets him go and Andrea sways, heart in his throat—</p><p>“Cloud, I—”</p><p>A fist curls into his shirt. Pulls Andrea forward and slightly off balance. His surprise smothered by Cloud’s lips as they catch his. There’s pressure. Chilled skin. Heated breath. A hit of teeth, then Cloud’s mouth parts under his.</p><p>Oh.</p><p>The world stills around them. The sound of rain so far away it might as well not be there. The baseline thump of his heart still loud in his ears. But it’s being overtaken by a warm, humming rush of relief. His body tingles, electric sweetness racing through his blood as Cloud makes a quiet noise, arching up slightly onto his toes.</p><p> Andrea takes the silent offer, the wordless plea, and pulls him closer. Slides an arm around his back to keep him steady and close as Andrea kisses him. Deep and desperate.</p><p>Cloud tastes like rain and cold and Mako. He makes another quiet, but hungry noise against Andrea’s mouth. Andrea can practically taste it, even as Cloud pulls away. They’re both breathing hard. Cloud looks a little stunned at himself.</p><p>“I— sorry I didn’t...” Even as he says it Cloud doesn’t move away. Doesn’t release the grip he has on Andrea. “I mean. I should’ve asked—”</p><p>Reaching out, carefully, Andrea curls a hand against Cloud’s jaw. The other cuts off his rambling apology. Eyes shifting to watch Andrea’s. Andrea brushes his thumb along Cloud’s cheek, just managing to get his heart back under control. But his voice is low and slightly husky when he speaks.</p><p>“Then...may I ask if we can do it again?”</p><p>Cloud stares at him. Something disbelieving in his eyes. Then, slowly, it melts away. What’s left is a surprisingly painful amount of relief.</p><p>“...Yeah.” He says, hand sliding from Andrea’s chest to curl against the side of his neck. Cloud can probably feel the rapid beat of his pulse. Andrea can’t find it in him to care too much as Cloud tugs at him.</p><p>Cloud’s much gentler this time, lips easing slow and careful over Andrea’s. The dancer shivers briefly under the soft touch. Reaches to wrap both arms around Cloud’s waist. To pull him closer.</p><p>“I’ll get you wet.” Cloud says, something worried in his voice. Andrea shows him exactly how many fucks he gives about that. Pulling the other near flush to him.</p><p>“I’ve had worse.” Andrea teases. Stealing...no. Sharing another kiss. Because Cloud’s clutching him back, lips pliant and warming beneath his touch. As they part, Andrea finds himself just...taking a moment. To take in the gentle press of Cloud’s body against his. The still damp chill of his skin. The quiet <em> drip </em> from his waterlogged clothes.</p><p>It’s not at all what Andrea expected. But Cloud never is.</p><p>It’s why the moment feels so...</p><p>Perfect.</p><p>And then Cloud shivers, sneezes and flushes. Color bright against the paleness of his chilled skin. Andrea’s heart positively melts in his chest.</p><p>“I’ve got clothes you can borrow. Come on.”</p><p>And maybe, Andrea realizes, this can be their ‘normal’.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>It’s a shame to be digging out clothes for Cloud without the intent of prettying him up. But Andrea brushes aside that old desire and looks for things purely for comfort and warmth’s sake. He finds an older pair of sweatpants, a form fitting t-shirt and one of his favourite sweaters.</p><p>Cloud’s slipped behind the dressing screen Andrea keeps tucked away in the corner. And Andrea’s making a really, <em> really </em>valiant effort not to pay too much attention to the rustling of cloth and the click of metal.</p><p>“Here.”He calls, setting the small stack of clothes on a chair close to the screen. The drag of a zipper from somewhere behind it makes Andrea damn near choke on his next words. “Do you need anything else?”</p><p>“Nope. But if I find a damn dress out there...”</p><p>“Spoil sport.” Andrea chides with a laugh, ignoring the heat simmering low in his stomach. “You can hang your things up wherever you like. I’ll be out in the living room.”</p><p>With that Andrea turns and heads to the door, just going to close it behind him when Cloud speaks up.</p><p>“Hey. Andrea?”</p><p>“Yes?” Something familiar bubbles in his chest. A long unused playful smile tugging at his lips as he turns back. “Did you want a hand—”</p><p>The flirtation dies on his lips as Cloud’s steps out from behind the screen to pick up the pile of clothes. The blond starts when he catches Andrea at the door and straightens up. The pale skin of his bare chest bright even in the faint, rainy day gloom.</p><p>Cloud was always slender. Lean and honed. With the musculature of a fighter. And Andrea had noticed, when Cloud showed up at his door, that he’d seemed even slighter than before. Missing some of the muscle mass he’d once possessed. He’d chalked it up, mostly, to the world going to hell.</p><p>“Cloud...” Andrea breathes, confusion and worry tripping his heart into double time. Because now Andrea can see he’s <em> thin </em>. The sharp curves of his ribs visible under his skin.</p><p> Andrea may not know much about Shinra’s elite, but he knows enough. Knows that the Mako flowing through their bodies is able to keep them in near perfect physical condition at all times. It’s one of the reasons they’re so terrifying as fighters. And because of that, Andrea knows it takes something truly catastrophic to diminish a SOLDIER’s physical stature. </p><p>Horror creeps quietly into Andrea’s chest. Sinking claws into his heart as his eyes scan over Cloud’s ravaged body. Picks out the scars that dot him here and there. Ones that don’t exist in Andrea’s memories. The one he does remember, the one at the centre of Cloud’s chest, looks somehow even worse. Like someone impaled him in the same place. His eyes drift and catch on a new one. A slightly gnarled, circular scar on the left side of Cloud’s chest. Is it...is it from a bullet wound? By the Planet— but no. Surely he’s mistaken. A trick of the light or... or something! It’d have gone straight through his heart.</p><p>“What?” Cloud says, looking confused. He follows Andrea’s gaze down and Andrea sees the moment it clicks. Watches as Cloud’s shoulders stiffen. His jaw tighten. He doesn’t bother trying to cover himself with the fresh shirt he has clenched in his hand. </p><p>Andrea tries to rein his focus back in. Knowing he’s being horribly, cruelly callous. He forces his eyes away from Cloud’s body. Meeting Cloud’s head on.</p><p>“May I ask what happened?” Andrea fights to keep his voice steady. To keep expectation out of it, because he doesn’t want Cloud to feel pressured. Even though something deep inside Andrea <em> aches </em>.</p><p>Cloud’s eyes drift. A small frown pulling at his face. Then he sighs, ruffling a hand through his hair. “You heard about the whole Geostigma mess?”</p><p>“Of course.” Andrea says with a frown. The disease had run rampant in Edge. Hell, across the world. There wasn’t a person alive who didn’t know about the ‘Planet’s Curse’. Andrea’d even seen more than a few people succumb to it. Both their struggle against it and the aftermath. It churned his stomach just thinking about it, even now. </p><p>And then there’d been the miraculous recovery nearly half a year ago now. The Planet reaching out Her hand, this time in salvation. And a few days before that was when all the real...’strangeness’ started to occur. Like the explosions and the giant, winged monstrosity flying above the city’s centre. An entire highway crumbling into rubble- something they were <em> still </em> trying to fix. The darkness that had blanketed the sky above the old Shinra Tower for a heart stopping moment before the sun had come out again.</p><p>Andrea should’ve realized before. Of course Cloud would’ve been right in the middle of chaos.</p><p>Just as he now realizes there’s only one reason Cloud would mention Geostigma.</p><p>“You had it.” And it isn’t a question. Because Andrea knows it’s true, with bone-chilling certainty. That knowledge makes a whole new kind of sickness turn his stomach.</p><p>There’s a lurking kind of exhaustion to Cloud as he nods. Solemn and unflinching. “Yeah.”</p><p>“Oh Cloud. I-” Andrea’s hand twitches at his side. An aborted attempt to reach out, to close the wide distance between them. An irrational need to make sure Cloud’s actually okay now. To reassure himself the other’s here and whole. But he stops himself. Squeezing his hand into a fist at his side. “I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“ ‘s fine. I’m fine.” And for once Cloud does sincerely sound like he means it. Cloud slips on the shirt, tugging at the sleeves and hem to make it sit right. Andrea’s sure he’s just looking for something to do with his hands. Some way to avoid Andrea’s gaze. “I just- you asked, so...”</p><p>“I did. I’m sorry. If I overstepped-”</p><p>“Said it’s fine.” And despite the usual prickly attitude in his words, there’s something a bit softer in Cloud’s face as he finally looks up at Andrea again. “I just wanted to thank you. For the clothes.”</p><p>A part of Andrea wants to ask about it all further. Wants to hear the tale straight from Cloud’s lips as opposed to the dozens if not hundreds of rumours that still fly around Edge. About Geostigma and the resulting madness. About the man in front of him. But he still sees the weary slant to Cloud’s shoulders. The bracing caution in his expression.</p><p><em> Not today </em> . Andrea decides. And then very quietly, a little deeper in his heart. <em> Maybe not ever </em>.</p><p>“If I’m cold after today you must be freezing. How does a cup of tea sound?” Andrea asks, beckoning him with a hand. Cloud watches him, something flickering in his expression. But it passes in a moment or two and he nods. He disappears again to finish changing in what has to be record time. Throwing his other clothes over the chair and screen to start drying. Scooping up the sweater Andrea left him, Cloud jogs the few steps to close the distance.</p><p>When he gets close enough, Andrea finally gives into the urge to touch him. Reaching out to catch one Cloud’s hands. The blond starts, but lets him take it. Andrea squeezes Cloud’s still chilled hand in his. Smiling when Cloud squeezes back before pulling free. Andrea lets him go and heads for the kitchen.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The tea’s all gone now. Leaving behind a warm, gentle kind of comfort just beneath Andrea’s skin and a faint, but pleasant herbal scent in the air. Cloud’s washing out their cups at the sink, nestled snug under the only window in the room. Andrea’s rather extensive tea collection still scattered about on the counter that could generously be called an island. He really needs to tidy up, Andrea thinks as he eyes it. He doesn’t have the counter space to spare. But that’s for later. Right now he’s…</p><p>Distracted.</p><p>Cloud insisted on cleaning up since Andrea’s the one who brewed it for them. And it’s apparently a rather intensely kept rule at Seventh Heaven that all glass be washed and put away<em> immediately </em> after use. When Andrea inquired after the consequences, Cloud had just looked at him flatly and said in a gravely serious voice.</p><p>“You don’t want to know.”</p><p>Andrea’s focus is almost entirely on not thinking about how much he likes seeing Cloud in his clothes. Over tea he told Cloud a little more about his going’s on at the Studio. Like a production he’ll be performing in in about a month's time. But the conversation lapsed into comfortable silence a while ago and Andrea’s been content to let it lie.</p><p>“Storm looks like it’s slowing down.”</p><p>Cloud’s quiet observation pulls Andrea out of his head and he looks towards the window. The pounding of the rain is not nearly as bad as it was about an hour ago. By the looks of the clouds overhead it’ll be gone in the next half hour.</p><p>Something a little melancholy tugs at Andrea at the thought.</p><p>“You’ll be heading back once it’s done with?”</p><p>“Might not be able to wait that long. It’s getting late.”</p><p>Andrea stops himself before he can do something idiotic like tell Cloud to spend the night. Instead he decides to make the most of the time he has left.</p><p>Cloud’s just finishing putting away the dishes. He turns and notices Andrea up. He tilts his head in that way of his. The one that reminds Andrea of a curious puppy. Especially with his hair all fluffy from earlier. He doesn’t speak, but Andrea can read the question in his eyes and the careful tension in his body.</p><p>“I was just thinking. About what you said earlier.”</p><p>“Said a lot of stuff earlier.”</p><p>“About our... ‘normal’.” Cloud’s expression shifts to one of cautious understanding. He nods, carefully. “Well, here are my thoughts.” Andrea takes another step closer, “I very much like our current routine. Texts, meeting up. All of that. And I’d like to continue, if it’s alright with you?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Andrea smiles at Cloud’s quick and easy agreement. It’s good to know that Cloud’s been enjoying their time just as much as he has.</p><p>“And I’m sure that, as things go on, there’ll be lots we need to...figure out. But for right now, at least,” As he speaks Andrea’s approaches carefully. Skirting the edge of the island. And Cloud hasn’t moved. Just stands there watching. Andrea stops in front of him, just on the edge of Cloud’s very clear personal space bubble. “I’d very much like to kiss you again.”</p><p>“Then why’re you just standing around?”</p><p>“Because I want to know if it’s alright with you.” Andrea smiles, mirroring the faint tilt of Cloud’s head, “And if it can be part of our ‘normal’, too...?”</p><p>Cloud stares at him. Like he’s trying to pick apart an intricate puzzle. Funny, Andrea feels much the same about him most of the time. “...I’m the one who kissed you first. Why the hell wouldn’t I be okay with it?”</p><p>Andrea’s smile tightens a little. “Well. I’ve learned it’s better I not assume things with you. We both know how that can turn out.”</p><p>A moment of insight passes over Cloud’s expression and he nods, then frowns a little. “So what? You want permission?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Then you’ve got it. Get over here.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, something incredulous bubbling like light in his chest. He can’t stop himself even when Cloud glowers at him.</p><p>“What!?” He snaps and Andrea raises a hand, trying to calm himself down.</p><p>“Nothing.” Andrea said, still grinning as he shakes his head. “I suppose I was just curious...” Andrea takes another step forward, planting himself firmly in Cloud’s circle. “What happened to the lovely young man who could barely look me in the eyes all those years ago?”</p><p>“Went through some shit.” Cloud’s leaning against the counter now. Andrea can see his hands curled around the edge of it. Just passed the edge of the sweater. The sleeves hang a little too long due to the difference in their builds. It’s sweet and makes something warm bubble in Andrea’s stomach. Different from the usual heat. The one Cloud’s eyes stir in him. “And I waited for you to kiss me for at least two weeks.”</p><p>“Ha...is that so?”Laughter curls through Andrea even as he can’t help but tease the other man. “And you didn’t say anything?”</p><p>Cloud’s dry look says it all. “You’ve met me, right?”</p><p>“Indeed I have.” Andrea says, finally closing the distance between them. Leaning in and slightly down to catch those lips he’s not ashamed to say have been on his mind for actual years now. Cloud’s just a touch shorter than him. But Andrea’s always found it endearing the way Cloud has to tilt his head up to meet him properly. Makes it easy to hold him close. To kiss him deeper.</p><p>Andrea can’t help but hum into Cloud’s mouth. Something warm and lingering as the sensation of Cloud’s lips against his wraps Andrea’s senses up in cotton. Everything except the man before him drifted out and away.</p><p>There’s a gentle ache in Andrea’s chest as he pulls back. Breath falling a little heavier. His hands tremble at his sides and he’s not sure why.</p><p>“Cloud...” His voice is so soft Andrea hardly recognizes it. Cloud’s eyes blink open, those bewitching iris so impossibly bright. Cloud makes a small questioning noise under his breath. But Andrea doesn’t have a question. Or an answer to the rush that’s left him too shaken to speak.</p><p>It’s a little like being caught up in a swell of music. Losing control of himself to melt into the rhythm and beat as it pulses through the air. Leaning in and brushing his lips against Cloud’s before moving them away. Breathing in the scent of his skin as Andrea’s thoughts drift. His hands falling to rest on Cloud’s chest, slowly slipping down. Following the still toned lines of his body under the bulk of the sweater. Lips pressing to Cloud’s cheeks, his chin, his jaw. Trailing down...and down...</p><p>“Andrea...”</p><p>Andrea barely catches himself before he drifts any further down Cloud’s neck. Stills his hands on Cloud’s trim waist. He’s forgotten how utterly intoxicating Cloud is. Especially this close. Another memory lost to time and its cruel whims. One Andrea’s eager to reclaim for himself.</p><p>“Is this alright?” He asks, voice low and even against the smooth skin of Cloud’s neck.</p><p>“Hmmm...?” The quiet hum of Cloud’s voice echoes like music in Andrea’s ears. “Oh. Yeah. ‘s fine.”</p><p>“Tell me if I need to stop.”</p><p>“Said it’s fine. So just-” Cloud’s words vanish in a gasp as Andrea parts his lips against the quiet thunder of Cloud’s pulse. Sucking gently at the delicate pale skin. The slightest shiver runs down Cloud’s body. His hands sliding up to clutch at Andrea’s arms.</p><p>Andrea makes himself pull away, pull back before he leaves more than the faintest reddening mark. Shifting away so he can look at Cloud’s face again. Take in the gentle flush along the sharp line of his cheeks. The part of his lips. The intensity of his eyes as Cloud stares back. Half lidded and full of quiet fire.</p><p>God Andrea’s missed him. Hasn’t realized exactly how much until this very moment. The knowledge that he can have this again settles somewhere inside him. The knowledge that Cloud’s here, standing before him, flush and still and real because he <em> wants </em> to be.</p><p>The breath shudders out of Andrea’s lungs in a slow whisper of sound.</p><p>Cloud straightens, a flash of concern lighting up his eyes. “You okay?”</p><p>There’s something Cloud’s voice when he says that. Something in the quiet, yet intent question that sends a ripple through Andrea. Makes his heart kick in his chest as something burns through his senses like the threat of tears</p><p>Andrea nearly chokes on the sense of rapturous joy that beats through him in time to his pulse. A smile melting soft and sure across his face as he stares into the impossibly beautiful eyes. Sees the soft, barely there glow even in the shitty kitchen light.</p><p>“Never better. You?”</p><p>“I-” There’s an expression in Cloud’s face that Andrea has not seen in ages. Not since the night in his dressing room. Just the two of them, twined together. Something soft, yet intent. “I’m. Good.”</p><p>“Just ‘good’? Well that won’t do.” Andrea teases, feeling lighter than air. “Perhaps I can help with that.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Cloud says, already pulling Andrea back down with a hand curled into the front of his shirt again. Andrea chuckles low in his chest, but parts his lips obligingly against Cloud’s. A familiar feeling bubbling in his veins.</p><p>Andrea lets himself sink into the moment. To the haze and rising heat. To Cloud’s body against his again. Those lean, strong arms curled around his neck. Quiet, breathy noises slipping away from them both to hover in the air.</p><p>Andrea’s got his nose in the hollow of Cloud’s throat, hands on those sharp hips, toying with the idea of getting him up onto the counter, when Cloud speaks. Voice low, but as insistent as the hands that fall to press against his shoulders.</p><p>“Andrea, stop-”</p><p>Andrea pulls back immediately, swallowing hard as he reigns himself back in. God. <em> Why </em> is it so easy to forget himself around Cloud?</p><p>“I’m sorry. Too much?”</p><p>“I-I can’t...” Cloud trails off, shaking his head a little. Something like guilt shadowing the crease of his brow. The light of his eyes. “Tifa and I are-”</p><p>For a moment Andrea swears his heart stops beating. The world blurring out around him in a rush of grey static. Ice sinks into Andrea’s stomach. Familiar. Painful. Tearing at his insides as it slides down. He immediately lets Cloud go and takes a step back.</p><p>
  <em> Oh. </em>
</p><p>That’s right, isn’t it?</p><p>Cloud has Tifa outside of this. Three years is more than long enough to have ignited that spark Andrea’d always seen between the two of them. Not to mention the child they’re...’looking after’ as Cloud had put it. A whole little family all wrapped up in a pretty bow.</p><p>The knowledge settles like a stone in Andrea’s gut.</p><p>So. He’s to be an aside. A footnote. Buried in the pages of Cloud’s life.</p><p> It’s all he deserves, really, given their history. It’s pathetic that he still wants it. Still longs to have Cloud close, even if he has to play the ‘dirty little secret’.</p><p><em> It’s fine. </em> Andrea tells himself, taking another step back. Turning away.</p><p>“Of course. My apologies, Cloud. I misunderstood.”</p><p> It’s hardly the first time.</p><p><em> Don’t let it show Andi. Be the professional </em> . <em> You said you’d do ‘anything’ </em>-</p><p>“Andrea...?” That’s Cloud’s voice. A distant echo over the ringing of his ears</p><p>“It’s alright, Cloud. I understand. You have her.” Andrea knows he’s still walking, heading for the door. He needs to get out. Get away for a minute so that Cloud doesn’t see...whatever Andrea’s expression is doing. He feels raw, like a nerve exposed to the empty air. He just. Needs a moment to compose himself.</p><p>“What-”</p><p>But how? How’d he gotten it so wrong...? How when he’d been so certain- after today especially. And all the things they’d shared-</p><p>“Shit. Andrea, <em> wait </em>!”</p><p>There’s a flurry of footfalls behind him, then a familiar hand closes around his wrist, tugging him to a halt. Andrea has half a moment to ponder pulling away before Cloud speaks.</p><p> “That’s not what I meant. I swear.” There’s an edge of desperation in Cloud’s voice. Enough to stop Andrea’s static thoughts in their tracks. With a shaking sigh, Andrea turns back. Meets those wide, bright eyes. Sees the concern and frustration heavy on his brow as Cloud shakes his head. “Tifa and I aren’t- it’s not like that. At all.”</p><p>“You mean...?” Well that’s certainly a surprise. Andrea remembers very, <em> very </em> clearly the warmth in Cloud’s eyes whenever he looked at the young woman. About how he protected her. The lengths to which he went to do so. It’d seemed so...well. Inevitable that the two would end up together.“I’d thought-”</p><p>“I know.” There’s a sigh in Cloud’s voice, shoulders slumping a little under an invisible weight. “We...were? For a while. But.”</p><p>And that’s somehow even more surprising. Andrea’s heart aches a little. Because he sees the faint, lingering hurt in Cloud’s expression as he speaks. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t be. It’s just another thing in my long list of fuck ups.” Cloud raises his head again as he finally lets go of Andrea’s wrist. “All I meant is she’s literally waiting for me right now. Told her I’d be back to help out...” Cloud glances at the clock- what must’ve caught his attention in the first place Andrea realizes- and winces. “Ten minutes ago. I completely forgot.”</p><p>Andrea’s heart sinks. A quiet, but crushing feeling. A rush of anger directed at himself. Why the hell had he reacted like that? Without having all the pieces of the puzzle? He wasn’t a child anymore this was hardly his first-</p><p>Except Andrea knows that’s a lie. Because Cloud <em> is </em> his first for a lot of things. Not the least of which is this livewire connection between them. The one that had sparked, at least for Andrea, the moment Cloud had stepped into the ring at the Colosseum.</p><p>In that moment Andrea feels incredibly foolish. He <em> knows </em> Cloud better than that. He’s not the sort of person to lead others along.</p><p>Somehow Andrea finds his smile again. Tries for levity in the face of his discourteous assumptions.</p><p>“She runs a tight ship, that one.”</p><p>“Heh. Tell me about it.” There’s something relieved in Cloud’s face as he nods. “She’s earned the right.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t do to keep her waiting any longer then.”</p><p>“I know. I just- I want to ask you something first?”</p><p>Andrea hates the fact that quiet hesitation is back in Cloud’s voice. That he’s the one who made him put up the wall again.</p><p>“Of course.” Andrea says, gently as he can. He wants Cloud to open up to him. Tell him what’s on his mind.</p><p>“I guess I just. Want to know what this is? What you want it to be? Because if this is a repeat of last time I...” Those bright eyes waver, turn away. Like he can’t bring himself to meet Andrea’s eyes. “I need to know.”</p><p>Andrea doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to apologize enough. For planting the evident doubt into Cloud’s heart in the first place. The fact that Cloud can’t seem to talk about the future- their future- without bracing for more hurt.</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea can’t stop himself as he reaches out to rest his hands on Cloud’s shoulders. “I was cruel to you last time. And I’d more than understand if you’re angry with me still.”</p><p>“You weren’t. And that’s not what I meant.”  Cloud sighs, shaking his head, but lifting it to meet Andrea’s gaze. “I <em> was </em> angry. But then, you know.” There’s something fatalistic in the edge of Cloud’s almost smile. Something old and sharp and painful. “The world was gonna end. That kinda changes your perspective.”</p><p>There are few things in his life that Andrea’s heard that ring more true than that. Cloud’s shoulders shrug beneath his hands.</p><p>“You were right anyway. I wasn’t-” Cloud stumbles over his words a moment. Something closed off and distantly familiar flickering in his gaze. Andrea reminded again of how hard it seems for Cloud to talk about himself. “Things were different back then.”</p><p>“Indeed they were.” Andrea squeezes Cloud’s shoulders before letting his hands fall back to his sides. “As for your earlier question.” It feels a little like retreading old ground. But with his horrendous mix up from earlier still hanging in the air, Andrea feels it’s necessary. “I’m still very interested in you Cloud. That hasn’t changed. So I’d like to keep seeing you. And...we can see where things go from here.” No strings attached. No labels unless they find one that fits. That idea alone seems to sit right inside Andrea’s chest. “This doesn’t have to become anything serious.”</p><p>“...Yeah. Right.” There’s a shadow in Cloud’s expression again. Just as inscrutable as the last until Cloud had opened his mouth and given it a voice. But Andrea feels a strange sort of exhaustion coming from Cloud. Not helped in the slightest by the sigh he gives. “Okay.”</p><p>It seems Andrea’s going to have to wait for this particular shadow to earn it’s voice too. It seems like the least he can do after doubting him so terribly.</p><p>“Give Tifa my best.” Andrea says, a more genuine smile on his face.</p><p>“Will do.” Cloud nods, tugging at the sleeve of the sweater. Not quite meeting Andrea’s eyes. “I’ll...see you soon?”</p><p>“I’d like that very much.” Andrea locks his hands behind his back. Fingers twisting together to stop himself from pulling Cloud closer. Bites the end of his tongue to ask Cloud to stay. To call off his night so they can talk. It wouldn’t be fair. And frankly, Andrea could use a night to sort out his thoughts.</p><p>But there’s something like relief in Cloud’s eyes as he glances at Andrea one more time. </p><p>“Yeah. Same.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Two things!<br/>One: I AM IN NO WAY BASHING TIFA/CLOTI/SHIPPING ECT. Okay? We good? We got it? Because Tifa is my GIRL and I will fight anyone who shit talks her. Honestly would do the same for all the VII children. This is just my take on the evolution of their relationship after AC stuff in the context of this story.</p><p>Two:<br/>I'm thinking of maybe doing some asides/a side story from Cloud's POV for this fic/series. It probably won't happen till this is done- or very near to being done- but I'd like to gauge interest sooo...comment and say if you think that sounds interesting!<br/>Thanks in advance!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Untarnished Affection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Guess what? Avasti continues to be The Best. And absolutely inspired this chapter and the next when it comes.</p><p>Also: brief mention of Cloud's suicidal intentions during AC- be careful with yourselves lovelies! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cloud left his phone behind.</p><p>By accident of course. He’d pulled it out to contact Tifa when he’d gone to change back into his still damp clothes. He’d left it sitting there as he rushed out the door. Buried under a pile of the clothes Andrea gave him, all neatly folded.</p><p>Andrea’s been standing in his bedroom for the past five minutes listening to it ring incessantly. Each and every call lighting up with an adorable picture of Tifa, Denzel and a young girl Andrea doesn’t know all crammed a little off centre in the frame. The name “TIFA” in bold white letters above it.</p><p>What the hell does he do?</p><p>Surely he shouldn’t answer it, right? That would be an invasion of Cloud’s privacy. And god knows what he’s told Tifa about any of this. With everything that's happened this evening, Andrea’s not sure if he’s ready to rock the boat any more than he has.</p><p>He’ll probably drown if he does.</p><p>The phone goes silent again and Andrea lets out a sigh. Then it chirps a light, cheery tone. He blinks up and <em> stares </em></p><p>
  <em><strong> Andrea.</strong> </em>
</p><p>Andrea barely has a moment to register his name and the fact Tifa’s apparently texting <em> him </em> now- and a heartbeat to think <em> How the hell- </em>before a flurry of others follow. An incessant string of chips and alerts popping across the screen.</p><p>
  <strong> <em> I know Cloud left his phone there </em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em> Please pick up </em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <em><strong> Or call me</strong> </em>
</p><p>A moment of respite. Andrea’s still trying to keep up when another sounds.</p><p>
  <em><strong> Now!</strong> </em>
</p><p>Andrea’s thoughts buzz through his head like a storm of hornets. Why the hell was Tifa contacting <em> him </em> specifically? How does she even know about any of this? He’s been under the impression that Cloud hasn’t said anything. But-</p><p>He has a horrible thought.</p><p>What if something happened to Cloud?</p><p>He scoops up the phone and answers just as it starts to ring again. There’s a moment of silence on the other end of the line. Then Tifa’s now familiar voice sounds.</p><p>“<em> Andrea... </em>?”</p><p>“Er, yes-”</p><p>“<em> Finally! And I thought Cloud was hard to reach. Look. I don’t have too long. Cloud’s just wrangling the kids into bed-” </em> There’s a muffled peal of laughter from Tifa's end and a giggle in her voice as she continues. <em> “-and he’ll be here soon. Come over tomorrow morning. Cloud’s heading out on a job around 8 and he’ll need his phone. </em>”</p><p>“I-” Andrea stumbles over his words, only able to latch onto that last idea. “Yes. Of course. I can do that, but-”</p><p>“<em> Awesome! I’ll have breakfast ready. </em>”</p><p>“Tifa hold on-”</p><p>“<em> We can talk about everything tomorrow. Promise. I gotta go. See you in the morning! </em>”</p><p>The line goes dead.</p><p>Andrea slowly pulls the phone away from his ear, hits the end call button and falls back to sit on his bed.</p><p>“What in the hell was that?” He asks the empty air. It, sadly, doesn’t have any answers for him. Maybe he really should look into getting a pet of some type like Claude suggested months ago. A dog, a cat, a goldfish- something. So he doesn’t feel quite so petulant when the world doesn’t answer him.</p><p>
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</p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Seventh Heaven is a quaint little building. Hodge-podged as all of Edge is from scrap and reused materials from Midgar’s skeleton. The sign’s the most vibrant thing in the area. Andrea eyes the closed sign still hanging in the window and checks his phone.</p><p>7:17.</p><p>Tifa hadn’t said anything outside of the apparent eight o’clock deadline. But even so, what was he supposed to do? Kill time for the next half hour? Maybe he should just-</p><p>There’s a sound from inside the building and the next thing Andrea knows, Tifa Lockhart’s pulling it open. The tinkling of bells a perfect fit to the surprisingly warm smile on her face.</p><p>“Andrea! It’s so good to see you again.”</p><p>She looks much like the young woman he remembers. The same warm, pretty eyes. The kind smile. Her hair’s shorter now, but it suits her face well. He feels a swell of relief. The same one Andrea always feels when he finds old, familiar faces from before Meteorfall. He can’t help but return her smile.</p><p>“Hello Tifa.”</p><p>“Thanks so much for coming.” Tifa says, stepping back into the bar and gesturing at him “Come in. Cloud just got in the shower so we should have at least ten minutes.”</p><p>“F-for what?”</p><p>“To catch up. Come on.” With that Tifa walks away, apparently fully expecting him to follow. Which he does, after a moment of hesitation, closing the door behind him.</p><p>The bar’s a simple set up. A few booths along the left wall and a scatter of other chairs and tables. The back of the room is divided by a long counter and he can see a small doorway tucked away to the right of it. The air’s pleasantly chilled, the faint chopping of the ceiling fans a quiet ambience to the music Tifa is playing. Andrea thinks he can hear the sound of running water somewhere above them.</p><p>The thing that really catches his eye are the dozens of photographs littered across the walls. Images of people and places. Some of which he’s familiar with and others he isn’t.</p><p>“Cloud took a lot of those on early runs.” Tifa says, obviously catching him admiring them. “I think we’ve just about got one from every corner of Gaia at this point.”</p><p>“They’re lovely.” Andrea says, stepping closer to admire one of the Chocobo Ranch. Simple yet stunning.</p><p>“Try getting him to admit that. Please take a seat.” Tifa waves to the many stools lining the long, dark oak bar. Andrea wanders over, taking a moment to dig Cloud’s phone out of his pocket and rest it on the surface. Tifa smiles when she sees it. “Thanks again. Honestly, I don’t know how he forgets it. It’s got all of his routes and more on it.”</p><p>“We all have our moments.” Andrea says, with half a smile. Folding his hands in his lap as he watches Tifa bustle about behind the counter.</p><p>“Yeah, well, he has a lot of them.” There’s something quiet in Tifa’s voice as she says it before she smiles at him again. “What are you up to these days?”</p><p>“I’m a dance instructor at a small studio on the east end. Sprightly Steps.”</p><p>“Really? That sounds fun. Kids or adults?”</p><p>“A little of both, but largely adults.”</p><p>“Let me know if you do any productions, I’d love to come watch.” Tifa sends him another smile over her shoulder. There’s something a touch melancholy in her eyes as she speaks. “Cloud and Aerith always said you were a good dancer. I’m glad you gotta keep it up after everything.”</p><p>“I-” Andrea stumbles a moment. Cloud had...talked about him? Even after that night...? He shakes the thought away quickly. “Yes. I am as well. What about you? You enjoy running things here?”</p><p>‘Oh yeah. I had a bar back in Sector Seven too.” Tifa’s smile falters a moment and Andrea’s heart goes out to her. He remembers the night the Plate fell very well, and he’d only been a bystander. “Anyway, this place does well enough. We’ve got our regulars and all and there always seems to be a few new faces around to keep it interesting.”</p><p>“It’s good to know you’re doing well.” The sound of running water cuts off above them. Andrea starts and looks to the ceiling. It’s barely been five minutes. Something flutters in his chest as he looks back at Tifa. “I thought you said-”</p><p>“We’re fine. He still has to do his hair.” Tifa says with the most put upon sigh Andrea’s ever heard. Andrea laughs, sudden and loud. Tifa echoes it with a smile. “There’s the Andrea I remember.”</p><p>That makes Andrea pause. “I’m sorry?”</p><p>“When you walked in here you looked like you were attending a funeral. Your funeral.” Tifa leans against the bar, something gentle to the edge of her smile. “It’s okay you know.”</p><p>Another stone settles itself in Andrea’s stomach. “I’m... not sure what you mean?”</p><p>“You and Cloud.”</p><p>Andrea flinches</p><p>“...Ah. I didn’t think he’d mention...”</p><p>“He didn’t.” There’s an apologetic tilt to Tifa’s smile now. “He’s a dumbass. And really, <em> really </em> bad at hiding things.” Her eyes suddenly go wide as she quickly waves her hands in front of her. “Not that I think he’s trying to hide you or anything! He’s just being...Cloud.”</p><p>Something fond flickers in Andrea’s chest. “He’s good at that isn’t he?”</p><p>“The best.” That same warmth seems reflected in Tifa’s gaze as she says it. Something familiar and a little worn down. “Still, I don’t want you to feel like you need to tiptoe around. Especially with me.”</p><p>She doesn’t seem upset. At all. Which is...not what Andrea expected. Strange because he remembers truly admiring her genuine personality when they’d met in the past. Seen the way that Cloud had cherished that part of her too.</p><p>“You’ll have to forgive me Tifa. I assumed you’d be...”</p><p>“That I’d be upset my best friend is finally happy?” Tifa asks, something flickering in her mahogany eyes. “Not a chance.”</p><p>Andrea winces. God that sounds horrible. “I didn’t mean to imply-”</p><p>“I know. It’s okay Andrea.” Tifa turns away then, fussing with the various pots and pans lining the stove top. “Sure. It hurts that we couldn’t make it work. We tried...” Her voice trails off, that same hint of sadness in her he’d seen in Cloud. But Tifa rallies herself quickly and shrugs, a faint, but genuine smile on her face. “But it wasn’t meant to be. That doesn’t change anything we went through together. And it doesn’t change the fact I care about him. A lot.” Tifa looks back at him then, something warm in her expression “And I can tell you do too.”</p><p>“...Thank you.” Andrea says, completely sincere. Because it feels right. Especially in the face of Tifa’s absolutely gracious handling of the whole messy situation. Tifa lights up and Andrea once again sees so easily why Cloud loves her so much.</p><p>There’s movement upstairs. A few faint footsteps then the creak of a door. Tifa glances towards the hall then turns to Andrea.</p><p>“Before he gets down here can I ask something?”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“Is this serious?” Tifa asks, looking him dead in the eye, arms folded across her chest. “Are <em> you </em> serious about him?”</p><p>The question draws Andrea up short. An instinctive defence of himself catching in the back of his throat. A ‘sting’ as she’d put it, to be questioned about his intentions. But Andrea tucks it away. Takes a moment to breathe. Because he knows why she’s asking. She knows at least vaguely who he was. What he did. His past an...’easy read’ as it were once you knew his name and what it was attached to.</p><p>The fact that Tifa confronted him about it in such a no nonsense kind of way is admirable. Another showing of her heart. It may be strange, given that she’s questioning his intentions, but Andrea’s glad that Cloud has someone like her in his life. To look out for him. To have his back, in all things apparently.</p><p>“I...I can’t speak for him, of course. We haven’t... <em> settled </em>, as it were, on anything official.” Andrea says, slowly. A strange feeling in his chest, like weight and weightlessness because he’s never said the words aloud. But they come easily. Surprisingly so. “But he certainly has my heart.”</p><p>Tifa’s expression softens a touch. “Have you told him that?”</p><p>Before Andrea can reply, there’s the sound of heavy footfalls on the stairs. The creak and groan of the old wood loud in the early morning. Andrea goes to stand, to leave because he’s not supposed to be here. But one of Tifa’s hands lands on his arm and she shakes her head. There’s something odd about her expression. A kind of sympathetic understanding.</p><p>Cloud appears in the hall doorway, patting at his pockets with a worried frown on his face.</p><p>“Where the hell did I-”</p><p>“Looking for this?” Tifa interrupts him, picking up the phone and waggling it playfully at Cloud. The blond starts, confusion painted plain across his face.</p><p>“How’d you-” Cloud’s eyes lock onto him and not for the first time, Andrea finds he can’t quite read the expression in them. The surprise flickering down into something quieter. Something almost....warm? “...Andrea.”</p><p>“Good morning.” The greeting feels strange on his tongue. But it’s the only thing he can think to say.</p><p>“Andrea was a sweetheart and brought it back. You’ve really got to stop leaving it lying around.”</p><p>Cloud looks...puzzled by her words. Eyes jumping between the phone, Andrea and Tifa. Something quietly calculating. “What-?”</p><p>He doesn’t get a chance to get further than that. Tifa straightens up and tosses the phone at him. Which Cloud catches in one of his usual deft manoeuvres.</p><p>“I’m gonna go get the kids up.” As Tifa walks past Cloud she reaches out, patting a hand against his arm. “No dilly dallying.” She says, in a quiet, sing-song tone.</p><p>Andrea has absolutely no idea what that means, but apparently it’s code for <em> something </em>. Because as soon as Tifa walks past him and heads up the stairs, Cloud gets a look on his face that Andrea knows well- even though he has no idea why it’s there.</p><p>It’s guilt.</p><p>“Cloud...” He says, slowly getting to his feet. Because he can’t just sit there. Not when Cloud looks like that. Those eyes he loves so much close for a moment, Cloud’s shoulders sagging as he sighs. But the moment is just that. In the next Cloud straightens up, something like steel in the set of his spine as he meets Andrea’s gaze.</p><p>“I need to talk to you.”</p><p>That familiar feeling of ice settles inside Andrea. He forces himself to nod,“...Right. Of course.”</p><p>Cloud lifts the divider that splits Seventh Heaven from the rest of the house and gestures wordlessly for Andrea to follow. Tucking away his looming worry in his chest, Andrea follows Cloud out into a small, but surprisingly tidy garage off the side of the main hall. Cloud offers him a seat on the small work bench nestled along the far wall, moving to lean against his bike. Andrea perches on the end of the bench, folding his hands tightly into his lap, his mind whirling.</p><p>“I didn’t expect to see you here.” The words land like a blow and Andrea flinches. He knows he shouldn’t have come in, no matter what Tifa’d asked. He’s intruding into Cloud’s personal life- into his <em> family. </em> And Cloud has every right to tell him off for it. Andrea has absolutely no right to-</p><p>“I’m-”</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>Cloud’s quiet voice is strangely loud in the small room. Filling the space, cutting into Andrea’s thoughts like a hot knife through butter. The dancer jerks his attention up from the floor,</p><p>“W-what?”</p><p>“I messed up. I should’ve just explained everything from the get go. But I didn’t and you got hurt because of me.”</p><p>“Cloud...” Andrea shakes his head, reflexive and aching as he watches Cloud hang his head, the weight of the world on those slender shoulders. “That’s not- I over reacted about nothing-”</p><p>“Don’t.” Cloud’s voice isn’t any sharper, or even any louder. But there’s something in it that stops Andrea in his tracks. “I don’t need people making excuses for me anymore. I can own up to my own mistakes. I make enough of them.” There’s something a little wry in Cloud’s expression. But it vanishes behind that horrible guilt again. He looks up into Andrea’s eyes, and Andrea’s heart cracks when he sees the emotion swimming in them. “I really am sorry.”</p><p>Andrea just shakes his head again. Mute. Because what can he say? He’s the one who’d misread what Cloud had meant. He’s the one who’d had to be talked down from being brash. Cloud had just been living his life. Keeping promises to the family he’s built. He’s not the one at fault here. But he can’t find what he needs to say. Silence hangs between them before Cloud shifts in place.</p><p>“Don’t dilly dally, huh?” Cloud sighs through his nose, rolling his shoulders back. Like he’s preparing for something. Then he nods to himself. A familiar fire in his eyes as he looks at Andrea. “Okay.”</p><p>“Cloud?”</p><p>“You want the truth?” Cloud doesn’t even wait for Andrea to so much as nod before he barrels forward, “Tifa and I were together for almost two years. Meteor was coming and we knew we were gonna die.” Something like a smile twists Cloud’s features. “When we didn’t we just. Kept going. That’s what you do after the end, right?” Cloud gestures to the room and the house beyond. “We built this place together, got things running. Tifa’d basically been co-raising Marlene- Barret’s kid- anyway so she stuck around. It was nice.”</p><p>Cloud’s smile flickers and dies. A shadow hanging heavy in his eyes. “Then people started getting sick. And about a year ago I found Denzel in Midgar. Brought him home and convinced myself I could be the hero for once. Find a way to cure him.” Andrea doesn’t even think Cloud’s aware of the way he reaches up to close a hand against his left arm, Right under the thin red ribbon that’s always tied around it. He looks a hundred miles away. “Few months in I hadn’t found a damn thing and my Geostigma surfaced. So I ran. I abandoned Tifa. I abandoned the kids. Avoided every phone call, every text, every time they came looking.” Cloud’s eyes drift over his shoulder, looking back towards the house. “It’s no surprise she gave up on me. <em> I </em>gave up on me first.” There’s nothing happy about the small twist of Cloud’s mouth. “Some ‘hero’, huh?”</p><p>There’s so much Andrea wants to say. But he can’t find the words. Not before Cloud continues.</p><p>“After everything was over and after every shitty thing I’d done...” There’s a look in Cloud’s eyes bordering on disbelief. “She let me stick around. I think the kids were a big part of it but. Well. Tifa’s always been far better to me than I deserve.” With a sigh Cloud leans a little more of his weight into the bike, arms crossing over his chest. “So I can’t sit here and pretend like I don’t still love her. I do. Always have- ever since we were kids. But she deserves someone who can be there for her. Like she’s always been for me. Besides. I-” There’s a faint creak of leather. Cloud’s hand curling into fists against his arms. “I still want to try. Whatever this thing is between us, I mean.” His eyes slowly lift to Andrea’s. Something resigned in their depths. “If...if that’s still on the table?”</p><p><em> He thinks he’s scared me off </em>. Andrea realizes, reading the anxiety in the line’s of Cloud’s face. And Andrea can admit it’s a lot to take in. But not once had the idea of walking away from Cloud even entered his thoughts.</p><p>Because Andrea thinks he understands it now. Understands at least some of the guilt that’d been on Cloud’s face before. Hints of it still scattered through the shadows in his brilliant eyes. And it’d been about last night, yes. But so much more of it lay in his frankly abysmal opinion of himself.</p><p>“Of course it is.” It’s the first thing Andrea can think to say. He isn’t going to sit here and judge Cloud for past actions that have nothing to do with him. Stones and glass houses after all. Whatever else may have happened, whatever other truths lay behind what Cloud had said, it’s a matter that lies between him and Tifa. And if the way she was talking earlier was any indication, Andrea thinks they’ve reached some kind of peace. Enough that they can both wish the best for each other. Personally, he thinks that says far more about them both than any apparent transgressions.</p><p>“...Okay.” The relief in Cloud’s sigh twists Andrea’s heart. “Thanks.”</p><p>“No.” Andrea says immediately, shaking his head. “Thank you. For sharing something so personal.”</p><p>And truly, that was what had sent Andrea reeling while Cloud said his piece. What still had a part of him shaken. Because Cloud’s never done this before. Never opened up like this. Not once. Andrea doesn’t know so much as the man’s birthday. Doesn’t know where he grew up, or even how old he is.</p><p>But now he knows this man was willing to die thrice over. That he’s saved the world- like some ridiculous storybook fantasy- twice over. Once while he <em> was </em> dying. Battling the demons that haunt him and pushing forward despite it all.</p><p>And despite all that, Cloud thinks himself undeserving of happiness.</p><p>Andrea suddenly, vividly understands the look that Tifa’d given him. That strange sympathy. She was wishing him luck in standing up against such a vicious, deep seeded self loathing.</p><p>But that’s exactly what Andrea intends to do. Because Cloud is <em> more </em> than worth it.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t remember standing up. Doesn’t remember crossing the scant space between them He doesn’t remember what he’s doing until he has his hands on Cloud’s face. Those blue-green eyes wide and staring up into his.</p><p>“You deserve a lot more than you think you do, Cloud.”</p><p>Cloud shakes his head, the denial immediate. Borderline instinctive. Andrea’s heart cracks a little further. “That’s-”</p><p>Andrea hushes him. These shadows have spent enough time darkening this man’s life.</p><p>“Cloud. You came back from the edge when it would’ve been so easy to step over. You were brave when it counted. And I think that’s deserving of-” Andrea can’t help the way his grip tightens on Cloud. Can’t help the way his breath shudders under the weight of his emotions. “-<em> so </em> much.”</p><p>“I’m not-” Cloud seems to catch himself, something flashing across his face too fast to follow. He shakes his head again, tries to shrink away, but Andrea doesn’t let him go. “That’s not-”</p><p>“You are. And it is.” Andrea softens his hands then, brushing his thumbs against those sharp cheeks. Against the faint dark circles under his eyes. To think that he has a chance at being the one to shower this man with every good thing he denies himself. It’s a feeling unlike anything Andrea’s ever experienced. “Let me show you?”</p><p>“I...” Cloud starts. Trailing off as he swallows quietly. His gaze drifting away. “...Why do you...”</p><p>
  <em> Have you told him that? </em>
</p><p>Tifa words ring loud and clear in the back of his mind. Cloud’s tone and weary eyes giving them a whole new meaning.</p><p>“Because I care about you a great deal.”</p><p>Tension threads itself through Cloud’s shoulders. Hitching in time to his breath. His eyes wide as he lifts them slowly to Andrea’s. Deep in his chest, Andrea feels his heart twist. He’s never seen that look in them before. Hovering on the edge of hope, but clearly bracing for it to be ripped right out his hands. Cloud opens his mouth, but his voice seems to have fled from him again. Throat trembling beneath Andrea’s hands. Frustration rising to shadow his eyes.</p><p>Andrea wants to kiss him. Wants to ease away the tension and the quiet hurt. To hold him close and keep the demons of his past at bay. The ones he’s only just learning the names of. The ones so clearly still lashed around his heart. That refuse to let him accept himself- let alone anyone else’s care.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t have the same connection to Cloud. The one the man shares with Tifa. Forged in fire and blood and shared heartache standing at the end of the world. But nevertheless, this is a battle Andrea’s more than willing to stand beside him in.</p><p>There’s nowhere else he’d rather be than at Cloud’s side.</p><p>He just hopes Cloud will let him.</p><p>Andrea curls a hand against the back of Cloud’s neck. Leaning forward to rest his forehead against the gentle furrow of Cloud’s. Breathing him in. Holding him close. Cloud’s next breath shudders, still hovering on that cliff’s edge. Andrea’s free hand drifts down, coming to rest over Cloud’s heart.</p><p>“May I-”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>There’s something quiet in Cloud’s voice. Toeing the line of fear and desperation. Almost...</p><p>Vulnerable.</p><p>Andrea glides his hands down the length of Cloud’s arms. Pausing when he catches the faint tremor in those normally steady hands. It clicks together in Andrea’s mind. A puzzle piece slipping neatly into its proper place.</p><p>Cloud’s afraid. Afraid of this thing between them. Afraid of it disappearing. Afraid of letting Andrea in. Afraid of what might happen if he doesn’t. A whirl of contradictions so like the man himself. It’s so easy for Andrea to see it in those brilliant eyes. A book lying open before him.</p><p>“Shhhh. It’s alright, Cloud.” Andrea murmurs into the heated space between them. Thumbs rubbing slow, careful circles against his arms. “Don’t be afraid.”</p><p>“Andrea...” His name is a sigh in Cloud’s voice. Low and heated as it trickles down Andrea’s spine. He leans in to brush his lips against Cloud’s, teasing and gentle all at once. Feels that lean body shift against his. Slowly, so Cloud can tell him to stop if he needs, Andrea threads their fingers together, pressing them back. Pinning them against the supple leather of Fenrir’s seat.</p><p>“Let me take care of you, beautiful.” The endearment falls from Andrea’s lips, brushing against Cloud’s like a caress. Old and familiar in the same way as the faint shudder that runs through Cloud’s body at the sound.</p><p>It triggers a flicker of memory in the back of Andrea’s mind. Of Cloud beneath him, still and pliant and lovely-</p><p>There’s a knock at the door.</p><p>“<em> Cloud </em>?” Denzel’s high, familiar voice sounds through the thick metal. Cloud jerks out Andrea’s hold, turning his head, eyes wide.</p><p>“Y-yeah?”</p><p>“<em> Tifa said you need to hurry. It’s almost 8 </em>.”</p><p>“Right. Sure. Thanks- hnn!”</p><p>Cloud whips back around to stare at Andrea. Who just meets him with a smile and a faint shrug, eyeing the tiny red mark he just left tucked under Cloud’s high collar.</p><p>There’s a pause. A slight creak of the door handle. “<em> Are you okay...?” </em></p><p>Cloud somehow goes even stiffer. Muscles close to trembling he’s wound so tight. “Fine. I’m fine, Denzel. Just- go get ready for school.”</p><p>“<em> ...If you say so. </em>”</p><p>Once they hear the quiet sound of footsteps moving away, Cloud releases the breath Andrea can feel all stopped up in his chest. He sags against Fenrir, a puppet with his strings cut. After a moment he glares up at Andrea.</p><p>“Seriously?”</p><p>Andrea smiles, all innocence. “What? You said you were fine.”</p><p>Cloud just rolls his eyes and pushes at his chest. Not roughly, not with anywhere near the amount of strength he could. Andrea obliges and steps back. As Cloud gets back to his feet, he lingers for a moment. That tentative furrow darkening the space between his eyes again.</p><p>“I- thanks. For...for listening, I guess.”</p><p>“Anytime.” Andrea says, completely sincere. “How do you feel?”</p><p>“H-huh? Fine.” More instinct. More careful walls that Cloud has built around himself. To protect himself as Andrea’s always thought. But now he knows there’s another layer there too. Cloud’s desire to shield others from <em> himself </em>. “I’m fine-”</p><p>“You don’t have to be.” Andrea says, reaching out a careful hand. Offering it to Cloud. “You know that, don’t you?”</p><p>Cloud shuts down. Sudden and immediate. A distant emptiness bleeding into his expression. Andrea sees it the moment it happens, blood turning to ice in his veins even before Cloud speaks.</p><p>“...I have to go.”</p><p>A knife twists itself into Andrea’s gut. Sharp enough he gasps against the pain. Takes a single, halting step forward.</p><p>“Cloud-”</p><p>“It’s okay.” Cloud says, and Andrea wonders if he’s only imaging the faint waver in his voice. Every other part of him is carved from stone and steel. “I just- I have to.”</p><p>Cloud’s gone before Andrea can take more than a breath. Vanishing back into the warmth of Seventh Heaven and taking what little had rekindled in Andrea with him. His hand hovering useless in the air. Cloud’s name stopped up in the back of his throat.</p><p>Too much. Too much, too soon. A door closing between them.</p><p>Again.</p><p>The worst part is Andrea doesn’t understand <em> why </em>.</p><p>There’s still so much he doesn’t know. The tiny glimpse Cloud had given him earlier likely not even the tip of the iceberg.</p><p>Andrea sinks back down against the bench, hiding his face in his hands as he forces himself to breath. To breath around the knot in his chest. The pain in his heart. The worries humming through his head.</p><p>With a shuddering breath Andrea lifts his head. Something bright catches his attention, on the work bench across the way. Something angular and gold and...familiar?</p><p>Andrea’s heart lurches when he realizes it’s his old earrings. Sitting in plain view of the room at large. He gets to his feet, dazed, crossing the floor to pluck one of them up. It’s...pristine. Not a hint of blemish or even so much as a scratch. Someone clearly taking pains to keep it free from grime and dust even in such an environment.</p><p>Andrea looks towards the door and realizes it’s not shut. A tiny sliver of warmth and light slipping through the gap. Another knot in his stomach eases away. Replaced, instead, by something bright. Something burning.</p><p>Cloud warned Andrea that he was a runner. That too much would send him skittering away.</p><p>Despite that, Andrea has proof in his hand that it’s a lie- at least in part.</p><p>Cloud’s scared, that much is apparent. But so is Andrea. Because this is all so new. His heart on the line in a way it’s never been before. Andrea’s never cared for anything or anyone as much as he does Cloud. He’s never been so carefully cherished, either. Used to spectacle and flashy shows that burst bright as fireworks and fade just as quickly. Not quiet glints of gold in the shadows. Still cared for three years after the fact.</p><p>Cloud’s good at running. Even has a head start.</p><p>Too bad for him then that Andrea’s in this race for the long haul.</p><p>“Andrea?” Tifa steps into the room, her voice layered with gentle, familiar concern. She stops just inside the door, arms folded over her chest. “Are you okay?”</p><p>“I will be.” Andrea says, meeting her gaze. Seeing the knowing look in her eyes. Because here’s someone who’s also weathered Cloud’s storms. “Is Cloud still here?”</p><p>Tifa frowns but nods, “Yeah, he’s upstairs.”</p><p>“May I?”</p><p>Tifa seems taken aback by the request. Her vibrant eyes go wide as she drops her arms. “O-of course. What’s-”</p><p>“I’m not sure.” Andrea says, carefully picking up the other earring, cradling them both in his palm. “But there’s something I need to ask him.”</p><p>For a moment, Tifa studies him. Then, slowly, the look fades out, replaced by a surprised, but tender smile. She steps aside and gestures to the hall. “It’s the first room on the left when you get upstairs.”</p><p>“Understood. And Tifa?” Andrea pauses beside her, reaching out to rest a hand on her arm. The young woman blinks and looks at it, then him.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>Andrea offers her the most genuine smile he can. “Thank you. Truly.”</p><p>
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</p><p> </p><p>Andrea doesn’t let himself hesitate once he climbs the stairs. He can’t. Not if he wants a chance. With little more than a breath to compose himself, he pushes Cloud’s door open and steps inside. Leaning back against the door to let it close as he glances around.</p><p>The room’s simple. Almost barren. Just a bed, a desk and a stack of boxes in one corner. Papers scattered across the walls. News clippings, notes and even a few pictures. Fitting for what he understands of Cloud. But sad too.</p><p>Cloud sits on the edge of the bed, a shadow in the morning light. Hunched over, head in his hands. He goes tense at the sound of the door.</p><p>“Denzel I told you-” Cloud jerks his head up and stops. His eyes wide. He tries to speak, but nothing comes out.</p><p>Andrea holds up the earrings. Letting them dangle from between his fingers, glinting in the morning sun and tinkling gently as they brush against each other.</p><p>“You kept them. After all this time. After...everything else.” Wordlessly, Cloud nods. “Why?”</p><p>“I forgot I had them.” The words would sting more, if it wasn’t for the look in Cloud’s eyes. Not careless. But sad. “Dug ‘em up out of a bunch of old stuff before we hit the Crater. Getting ready to fight or die trying. I was. Terrified. But when I saw those I...” Cloud’s hands settle in his lap, the quiet sound of leather on leather as he squeezes them together. His gaze flitting away, to the window and then to the floor. “I remembered you telling me not to be afraid. And being around you was the one time that was ever a reality for me, so...”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes drift to his, something quiet and shaking in those deep blue-green pools.</p><p>“So I kept them around. To try and remind myself what that felt like.”</p><p>Andrea closes the space between them. Sinking down to kneel on the floor in front of him. Smiling when those beautiful eyes meet his. Andrea takes one of Cloud’s hands. Pressing the earrings into his palm and curling his fingers back over them.</p><p>“I may not have something of yours I’ve looked after. And I don’t understand all the things that haunt you. There’s so much more about you that I don’t know yet. But I need you to understand that doesn’t change my feelings for you. You are still just as precious to me Cloud- more so, in fact. Now that I’ve been given a chance to know even this much better.” Andrea rests his other hand over Cloud’s cradling it between both of it. “You aren’t getting rid of me so easily. You can run Cloud, if you need to. But please know that I will be here waiting for you. Whenever you decide to come back.”</p><p>That finite tremble is back in Cloud’s hands. Tiny but painful. Andrea just holds on tighter, refusing to look away even as Cloud curls into himself..</p><p>“I don’t get you.” Cloud’s voice is so quiet Andrea almost doesn’t catch the words. Low and ragged as his breath shudders. “I don’t get what you could possibly see-”</p><p>“I see <em> you </em>, Cloud.” Andrea says, reaching up one hand to brush a strand of hair from Cloud’s face. “I have always seen you. And I know you are so much braver than you seem to think.”</p><p>Cloud shakes his head, the motion almost listless. He takes another shaking breath. “...I don’t know how to do this Andrea. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Or be. Any of it.”</p><p>“Cloud.” There’s something so painful about the way Cloud says it. Like he thinks he doesn’t fit right. That he needs to become something different to be worth...anything. Andrea can’t let it stand. “All I want- all I’ve ever wanted you to be is yourself. There’s nothing in the world more beautiful than that. Not to me.”</p><p>Andrea knows Cloud doesn’t believe him. Knows he never has, not really. But Andrea will repeat it for as long as he has to. As long as it takes for Cloud to see what he sees. The beauty Andrea’s always seen in him- in his heart.</p><p>“You’re not the only one figuring this out.” Andrea reminds Cloud as he lets him go. Sits back on his heels, placing a hand on his chest. “I know I can be an...acquired taste. It’s easy for me to be too much-”</p><p>“That’s not true.” Cloud cuts him off and Andrea blinks, a rush of surprised warmth running through his veins as Cloud looks at him. “I mean. It’s not a bad thing.”</p><p>“Oh...?”</p><p>Cloud nods, just as serious as before. “That’s just...you.”</p><p>“Then you should understand.” Andrea says, calm and even as he meets Cloud’s gaze. “What I see in you.”</p><p>For a moment, Cloud looks confused. But then something flickers in the back of his expression. A light dawning in his eyes. That quiet, but determined fire that Andrea so loves. Cloud sits up out of his hunch. Eyes never leaving Andrea’s as he nods. Firm and certain.</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Said I’d try, right? But all I’ve been doing is...” Cloud’s faint smile twists, wry and crooked on his pretty face. “Dilly dallying.”</p><p>A smile threatens the edge of Andrea’s mouth as he tips his head. “Tifa said that, too. Does it mean something special?”</p><p>“Means I’m being a jackass.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help laughing at Cloud’s matter-of-fact tone. Some weight lifting from his heart. “Is that right?”</p><p>“Yeah. And she’s right.”</p><p>Cloud lapses into silence. Those surreal eyes of his fixed on Andrea with an intensity that threatens to send a shiver down his spine. Then, without a word, Cloud leans forward, reaching for him. Andrea starts, eyes widening.</p><p>“What are you-”</p><p>“Hold still.”</p><p>Andrea does, more so out of bewilderment than anything. There’s a brush leather, then the faint chill of metal settles against his ear. First one side, then the other. Cloud sits back, something in his eyes Andrea can’t place. Andrea reaches up, fingers trembling as they brush against the textured metal of his old earrings, now dangling from his ears.</p><p>“Cloud...?”</p><p>“I haven’t earned them yet.” Cloud says by way of explanation. There’s something light flickering in his eyes. A hint of a smile on his face. “You don’t earn Andrea Rhodea’s favour unless you know how to keep up, right? So.” Cloud gets to his feet, offering a hand to Andrea. “Guess I’d better get practising.”</p><p>Andrea takes Cloud’s hand and doesn’t let go even as the man eases him back up onto his feet. Can’t look away from him. His chest hurts but...it’s not like before. Still sharp. Still overwhelming. Still almost too much. But it’s something on the other side of pain. The feeling swells when Cloud reaches up with his other hand, traces the tips of his fingers against Andrea’s cheek. Touch so light it threatens to make goosebumps erupt all over his skin.</p><p>“I know you’re booked, but...” There’s an edge of teasing in Cloud’s voice, just under the caution. “Save the next one for me?”</p><p>Andrea’s sure his heart’s not going to survive this man. These moments of quiet, heartfelt truth. When everything Andrea adores about him breaks the surface. His strength, his tender heart, his bravery- all of it.</p><p>He catches Cloud’s hand. Cradles it against his cheek. Closes his eyes against the flood of emotion that threatens to tear itself free.</p><p>“Looks like you're in luck, my dear.” Andrea doesn’t know how he finds it in him to speak so calmly. Doesn’t know why it seems so...easy, to slip into his old skin. Teasing and carefree. But he does, and it doesn’t feel like an act this time. “My schedule just cleared up.”</p><p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Stars Above Us</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Avasti absolutely inspired this one too~ Thank you for all your help!</p><p>Also more of a fluff/transitional chapter- next one should be up a little sooner because of it!</p><p>05/26/2020: Adorable Andi sketch from this chapter by CervusDeer </p><p>https://twitter.com/Moosephu/status/1265450130242785281</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Bye Cloud!” Denzel calls, waving from the front steps as Fenrir zips away into the distance. As the bike vanishes the boy’s shoulders sag a little. Some of his pep dying away. Tifa steps over to him, reaching out to wrap an arm around his shoulders, tugging him into her side.</p><p>“It’s just a couple days. He’ll be back.” Her voice is light, but Andrea knows the story behind the assurance now. Still Denzel seems to take it to heart, standing a little taller.</p><p>“Yeah. I know. He promised.”</p><p>Tifa smiles at the boy and ruffles his hair. “Mmm hmm. And we know Cloud and his promises.” Denzel squirms out of her grip and she shoos him back towards the door. “Now go grab your stuff or we’re gonna be late.”</p><p>Denzel sighs, but sprints off anyway. Tifa waits until he’s gone to turn back to Andrea. Not for the first time he catches her attention landing on the earrings. But she doesn’t say anything about it. Instead she offers Andrea a smile.</p><p>“It was really good to see you again. I hope you come back even if Cloud’s not around. You’re always welcome.”</p><p>This morning hadn’t played out at all like Andrea’d expected. The worries that’d kept him tossing and turning all night, sleeping short and fitful, all laid neatly to bed in the back of his mind. Not gone, no. Not yet. But soothed for now.</p><p>Soothed by his conversations with Cloud. By the understanding they’d reached. Soothed from watching this strange, but happy family go about their morning. Of being introduced to Denzel and Marlene as an old friend of both Cloud and Tifa. Soothed by the quiet promise Cloud had made him, to call while he was on the road.</p><p>“I’d like that.” Andrea says, returning her smile easily. “Very much.”</p><p>“Good. Oh and here.” Tifa slips back into the bar for a moment, returning with a plain brown bag that smells absolutely heavenly. “Breakfast. Since things got a little chaotic. Hopefully it turned out okay.”</p><p>“I’m sure it’ll be fantastic.” Andrea takes the bag, cradling the warmth to his chest. “Thank you Tifa.”</p><p>“Take care Andrea.”</p><p>“You as well. And please, call me Andi?”</p><p>Tifa grins, “Alright. Then don’t be a stranger, Andi.”</p><p>“I will endeavour to be just the opposite.” Andrea says, bowing to her with all the flare and showmanship of his previous life. Tifa laughs and waves him off, ducking back into Seventh Heaven with a call of the kids' names and the tinkling of a bell.</p><p><br/>
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<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Oh my god- aren’t those yours?”</p><p>“That would be why I’m wearing them, yes.” Andrea can’t help teasing Claude a little. That same, strange lightness still filling his chest.</p><p>“You know what I mean!” Claude says, then his expression shifts. Something worried crossing his expression. He shifts in his seat across the table from Andrea.“Did something happen...?”</p><p>“Yes. But it was something…” Andrea smiles. He can’t imagine what kind of expression he has. But he can feel it, wistful and wondering.  “Wonderful.”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>Before Claude can speak the <em> very obvious </em> question on his mind, there’s a knock at the door and both men look over. One of Andrea’s students peaks her head in.</p><p>“Mr. Rhodea?”</p><p>“Come in Laurem don’t be shy. What can I do for you?”</p><p>The young woman takes a careful step into the doorway. Always so shy- except when she’s on the stage. Dancing’s her passion as much as it is Andrea’s. It’s what makes her one of his favourites. “I was just wondering if you had time to run those steps with me after class? I still don’t think I get the transition.”</p><p>Andrea smiles. He figured she’d be coming to ask after rehearsal this morning. “Of course, it would be my pleasure.”</p><p>“Thank you, sir.”</p><p>“Laurem, I’ve told you, please call me Andi. The rest of it makes me feel ancient.” Andrea says, ignoring the very helpful little voice in the back of his head that chimes in.</p><p>
  <em> You don’t mind Cloud calling you Andrea... </em>
</p><p>“R-right. Sorry.” Laurem ducks her head and skitters back out the door, waving timidly. “I’ll see you after class then.”</p><p>“See you then.” Andrea calls after her, distracted as his phone chimes from where it’s resting by his elbow. That light in his chest sparks when he sees the message.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Call you later?</em> </b>
</p><p>Andrea scoops it up, flicking it open, fingers already flying across the keys.</p><p><b><em>Absolutely! I should be home my usual time.</em></b> <b><em>Looking forward to it</em></b><em>.</em></p><p>
  <b> <em>K</em> </b>
</p><p>Andrea chuckles under his breath. It’s likely all he’ll hear from Cloud until this evening. But that’s alright. Just the fact he made the effort to reach out at all is comforting. Andrea tucks his phone away and sees Claude’s staring at him, chin in his hands.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Oh nothing. I just wish I had a picture of the face you just made.” Claude giggles, getting to his feet as he shakes his head. “You are <em> so </em> fucked.”</p><p>“Thanks for the input, dear.” Andrea says, waving his old friend off. It’s time he got going as well. His early afternoon is meticulously planned so Andrea can work on his own projects before his next round of classes.</p><p>Since he’s working solo, Andrea opts to take one of the smaller practise rooms. The pale floorboards are a little dusty from lack of use, but they’ll serve him just fine. A quick riffle through his bag for his setlist disc and within about five minutes he’s poised in the center of the room. Watching his reflection closely as the music begins.</p><p>He’s been working at this one for roughly a month now. Most of the kinks ironed out. Now it’s just a matter of perfecting his timing and watching for those last minute adjustments he always likes to make. Still, as the familiar low baseline hits Andrea finds his attention drifting. Away from the room and out the high windows to the east. He blames the music and pushes on. It wasn’t his first choice of song (or even his sixth), but it’s what he’s stuck with. At least it sits in the same vein as the ones he’d worked with back at the Inn.</p><p>Andrea stumbles as the music cuts off, his rhythm thrown. As he straightens, he sees the cause of the interruption through the reflection in the mirror. Director Narisa’s standing in the doorway, her typical sour expression on her thin face. Internally Andrea sighs even as he pulls on his public facade and turns to greet her.</p><p>“Director. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Andrea says, wiping sweat from his brow.</p><p>“You’re slipping, Rhodea. Your attention isn’t where it should be.” As usual she doesn’t give him room to breath or to speak and defend himself. “Your techniques’ fine. But your head’s not in it.”</p><p>Much as he can’t stand her tone, Andrea knows Narisa’s right. He’s felt it too, the past few practices especially. Dammit. He’d hoped he could iron out his rut before she stumbled her way in here.</p><p>“What do you suggest then? The production’s only three weeks away. We don’t exactly have time to alter things.”</p><p>“If you believed that you wouldn’t be getting distracted.” The woman waves a dismissive hand at him. Like they’ve reached some sort of accord. Andrea bites the inside of his cheek near to bleeding to hold his tongue. As she turns to leave, the director pauses, cold steel eyes glancing over her shoulder, “Try counselling your heart if your head won’t suffice. Dance is meant to speak to the soul- not the body.”</p><p>Andrea waited until the sound of Narisa’s flat, sensible shoes disappeared down the hallway before he permitted himself to sprawl on the ground and catch his breath. With a sigh, he reaches up to rub the bridge of his nose.</p><p>“My heart, is it...?”</p><p>Well that’s easy enough. All he has to do is close his eyes for a moment and an image of Cloud wavers into sharp focus. A wry smile tugs at his lips. As if he could ever find the right tune, the right choreography to depict the many things Cloud stirs inside him. That's asking far too much of the world.</p><p>But even as he thinks it, Andrea pauses. Tilting his head as he considers. Perhaps...that was the point? Perhaps he didn’t need to showcase everything. What if, instead, he treats it like a message. An act to convey even a portion of the storming emotions in his heart. An expression that even Cloud can understand.</p><p>The idea made his heart shiver agreeably in his chest.</p><p>Andrea rolled himself back onto his feet and hurried over to scoop up his phone. Pulling open the calendar and scanning the dates critically. So, he has twenty-three days before the performance. And knowing Narisa she’d expect everything to be finalized at least two weeks before that. So a week, then. It’ll be tight, but Andrea knows himself well. It's doable. Hell, he’s done more in much shorter amounts of time. Long before he’d ever been a Star. It’s one of the reasons he’d gotten as far as he had. Risen as high as he had. It’s very doable.  Especially with such a fierce motivation burning somewhere deep inside him. One he hasn’t felt since before Midgar fell.</p><p>As with every dance, it starts with the first step. And right now Andrea’s is finding the right tune.</p><p>“This is going to be fun.” Andrea hums to himself with a grin.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>Andrea’s phone starts to ring moments after he’s changed out of his work wear. With a smile he digs it up out of his bag, cradling it against his ear as he straightens his shirt.</p><p>“You have impeccable timing.” He greets Cloud, hopping on one foot to tug on his comfortable lounge socks. His aching feet thank him.</p><p>“<em> Do you actually mean that or do you need me to call back </em>?”</p><p>Andrea grins, shaking his head. “Of course I mean it. I’ve been looking forward to hearing from you all day.”</p><p>“<em> You saw me this morning. </em>”</p><p>“Indeed. That was then and this is now.” Andrea can practically hear Cloud rolling his eyes at that. “So, where have your travels taken you today?”</p><p>Andrea heads out into the living room, settling himself comfortably on the couch as Cloud gives him the short- really short- version of his day. Drifting from Edge, to Kalm, to Junon. Setting up camp a short distance away from the town proper. The sheer span of distance he’d travelled in less than twelve hours makes Andrea’s head spin. He can’t even begin to picture it.</p><p>“How long do you think you’ll be out for?”</p><p>“<em>Shouldn’t be more than three days. But it depends. Sometimes they’ve got contracts for me out by Costa. If that happens, I  might be closer to five. </em>”</p><p>Andrea pouts a little at that. Good thing he’s got so much else to do this week. “Do you like it? The travel and all I mean.”</p><p>“<em>It’s a job </em> .” Cloud says flatly. Then, with a note of begrudging acceptance. “ <em> But there’s definitely worse ones.” </em></p><p>Andrea grins, “Maybe you ought to make that your slogan.”</p><p>“<em>Ha ha </em>.” Andrea doesn’t need to see Cloud’s face to know what a sour expression he has. It’s not the first time the terribly bland slogan has been brought up. And it probably won’t be the last. Andrea’s smile softens a little, sinking deeper into the couch.</p><p>“Tell me about it.”</p><p>“<em>About...what? </em>” It's so easy to picture Cloud's confused little frown. It's one of his more endearing expressions and one of his most consistent.</p><p>“The world.” Andrea says, picking at his nails, trying to ignore the melancholy feeling in his chest. He should paint them one of these days. He still has the supplies Claude slipped him after all. “It’s something I’ve never got to experience.”</p><p>“<em>Really? </em>” The surprise in Cloud’s voice is almost touching.</p><p>“Mmm. Midgar was my home from the day I was born. Never had much cause to go outside. Furthest I’ve ever personally been was Kalm.” And that had been under the duress of Meteor. Not exactly time to ‘enjoy the trip’. “So tell me about it.”</p><p>Cloud goes quiet for a while. Nothing but the sound of wind and the crackle of a fire coming from his end. Andrea closes his eyes, content to wait and listen. Easier to imagine he’s out there when he’s not staring up at the crack in his ceiling.</p><p>“<em>It’s...big. </em>”</p><p>Andrea laughs. Giddy and breathless because what had he expected? He hears Cloud grumble down the line.</p><p>“<em>Never mind. Forget it- </em>”</p><p>“No! No, no. I’m sorry. Please go on.” Andrea reels himself back in after a moment. Shifting to hug one of his golden throw pillows to his chest. Voice quiet as he continues, perfectly sincere. “I want to hear it.”</p><p>Unsurprisingly Cloud goes quiet again. Gathering his thoughts Andrea imagines, given he can still hear the sounds of the world on the other end and not a dial tone.</p><p>“...<em>I guess it’s...</em>” When he speaks, there’s a kind of hesitance to Cloud’s voice. But it fades as he goes on. “<em>When I’m out here I feel...small.</em> <em>But everything else does too. </em>A<em>ll the shit that gets in my head just kinda-</em>” There’s a faint rustle and a sigh. “<em>Doesn’t...weigh as much, I guess.</em>”</p><p>Cloud seems distant as he continues. Something bordering on sadness in his voice. But contemplative too.</p><p>“<em>I</em><em>t’s like being underwater. And you don’t realize how good air tastes until you come back up </em> .” Cloud’s voice trails off and then he groans. It’s all too easy for Andrea to picture him running a hand through his hair, the way he often does when he feels frustrated. “ <em> I dunno. I know it sounds stupid- </em>”</p><p>“No.” Andrea cuts him off, shaking his head though he knows Cloud can’t see.“No it really doesn’t.”</p><p>If anything it makes Andrea’s chest feel tight. A mix of emotion he can’t put a name to. Something melancholy from Cloud’s words, from the way he’d phrased it. But also a slow, blossoming kind of wonder. The kind that used to prickle at the edges of daydreams when he was a boy. Gazing up at the Plate and dreaming of what the sky and real stars looked like.</p><p>“...Would you take me with you sometime?”</p><p>“<em>I</em><em>t’s dangerous </em>.” Cloud says immediately and Andrea laughs. Of course that would be Cloud’s first thought. Ever the protector.</p><p>“Mmm. But you’d keep us safe.” Andrea replies, not a doubt in his mind that it’s true. “And I want to see it. This’ big’ world of yours.”</p><p>It’s probably just Andrea’s wistful heart, but he could swear there’s something like a smile in Cloud’s voice when he speaks.</p><p>“...<em> Okay </em>”</p><p>“Promise?”</p><p>“...<em> I promise </em>.”</p><p>The smile on Andrea’s face falters for a moment, fading out in surprise. Because he’d meant it as a tease. But the way Cloud had spoken...</p><p>It’s like he’s swearing an oath. Like he would do anything to keep it.</p><p>Andrea remembers what Tifa mentioned, about Cloud and promises. His grip tightens a little on the phone, some fluttering feeling digging itself deep inside his heart. Stealing his voice. There’s another shift on Cloud’s end then he speaks.</p><p>“<em> What about you </em>?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“<em>What’d you do today </em>?”</p><p>Andrea blinks, lifting his head to stare at the phone’s screen. Hmm...nope. He’s still talking to Cloud. Well that’s strange. Cloud doesn’t usually bother asking outright. Waiting because Andrea always-</p><p>Oh. Wait.</p><p>Something bubbles up inside Andrea. A lingering feeling that’s been there since Cloud took his hand. Since he’d asked Andrea to ‘save the next dance’ as it were.</p><p>This is Cloud trying. This is Cloud reaching out to him again. Making an effort.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t know to describe the feeling that wells inside him. Pressing at the back of his eyes. The only thing he can think is to regale Cloud with a tale of his day. From the major to the minutia. With as much show and gusto as the once performer can muster. Cloud grumbles periodically, but Andrea can hear the smile tucked behind it.</p><p>Andrea falls asleep with a smile of his own not long after they bid each other goodnight.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“You look like you want to talk.” Tifa says, taking the chair beside him. Something quietly worried in her voice, “Is it about Cloud?”</p><p>Andrea's found his way to Seventh Heaven again two days later, this time as a patron proper. His afternoon classes cancelled- god only knows why. The Director’d seemed particularly pissy this morning. But Andrea's long since learned to roll with the punches and found himself downtown with time to spare. Wandering to Seventh Heaven before he’d even realized where he was going. Tifa ushered him in with her cheery smile, so Andrea parked himself at one of the tables. He’d tried to focus and get some actual work done, but his thoughts kept wandering. Being back here a silent reminder of the anxieties still needling the back of his thoughts.</p><p>“If you don’t mind?” He says, putting down his phone.</p><p>Andrea feels bad dragging Tifa into his nonsense- especially given her and Cloud’s shared history. But frankly he doesn’t have anyone else to turn to. At least this way he has a chance at some insight into the ex-merc’s thoughts.</p><p>“Not at all. What’s going on? The other morning seemed kinda tense for a bit.”</p><p>Andrea took a sip of his drink, pondering over how he wanted to approach this. “Cloud told me a few details of how things went between you two. I hope that you don’t mind.”</p><p>“No. No it’s good he’s talking to someone.” Her red eyes cut towards Andrea for a moment, “I’m guessing he told you about his Geostigma then?”</p><p>“Not much.”</p><p>Tifa nods, solemn. An old, familiar ache in her eyes. A smile twitches across her face but doesn’t linger. “That doesn’t surprise me. He didn’t tell me about it even when it was happening.”</p><p>“Not so good talking to people, is he?”</p><p>“Nope. Never has been.” Even as Tifa sighs, there’s a touch of fondness to it. “But that’s just Cloud.”</p><p>“That’s sort of what I wanted to talk to you about, actually.” Andrea says, with a shrug and a small smile as he watches her. “I’m...at a loss how to approach him. I don’t want to pressure him of course-”</p><p>“You might have to.”</p><p>Andrea blinks, setting down his drink. That he did not expect. “I’m sorry?”</p><p>“I was in the same boat as you three years ago. I hadn’t seen him in years and he was really distant. And I didn’t want to pry either. Because. Well.” Tifa stops herself with a sigh. Leans forward, resting her folded arms on the table. Expression somehow worried yet determined. “It’s not my place to talk about the details. But-” Her expression breaks a little, distant and painful for a heartbeat. “He’s been through a lot. And trust me, I know that makes you feel like you need to be...” A knowing look flickers across her face as she looks at Andrea. “<em> careful </em> around him.”</p><p>Andrea winces a little. Because really that’s the crux of the problem. He can’t even begin to imagine the things Cloud’s seen. The things he’s done- or had done to him. Any time he’s even brushed the edges has sent Cloud skittering away. Bristling and warding him off. Worse, however, are the moments he goes quiet. Sinks so deep into his head there’s nothing of him left. Those are the moments that hurt the most, Andrea’s decided. Those are the ones that linger in the back of his head and choke the questions he has before they can become more than flickers of thought.</p><p>There’s a quiet empathy in Tifa’s expression. “I know. I still feel that way sometimes.” The young woman straightens then, shaking her head and fixing Andrea with a stern look. “But the worst thing you can do is treat him like he’s made of glass. Cloud’s a lot tougher than that.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help but smile. Fond and a little painful. “I know he is.”</p><p>“Word of advice?” Tifa says, patting his arm. “Cloud doesn’t do subtle. Well, <em> he </em> does. But he can’t read it for anything. So you kinda have to bludgeon him over the head with stuff. Repeatedly. It’ll sink in eventually.”</p><p>Andrea laughs and it lifts some of the weight from his shoulders. “I’ll keep that in mind.”</p><p>“Good. You want a refill?”</p><p>“I’d love one.”</p><p> </p>
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<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Cloud’s late.</p><p>It’s been nearly a full day from when they expected him, and one one’s heard a word. Andrea tells himself not to worry. Tells himself Cloud’s being Cloud and forgot to let them know. Tells himself...a lot of things.</p><p>None of which do anything but tighten the knot in his chest.</p><p>Tifa doesn’t seem worried about it when he stops by that night. But Andrea can’t help but wonder if that’s largely for Denzel and Marlene’s sake. Both of which are hovering around in the main room. Denzel keeps sneaking glances at the phone. A very ‘Cloud-like’ furrow on his brow. Andrea’s seated at the bar, nursing an absolutely delightful drink Tifa calls a <em> Cosmo Canyon </em> and messaging Claude to get his input into possible song choices for his routine. The results have been... interesting, thus far.</p><p>The phone rings and even though Tifa’s closer, Denzel gets there first. Almost pulling the whole unit down as he picks it up.</p><p>“Cloud?” The boy says, worry and excitement splitting his voice right down the middle. The excitement fades really almost immediately. “Oh. Hi Barret. Yeah. Yeah I’ll get her.” Denzel lowers the phone and hands it to Marlene who’d hurried up behind him as soon as he’d said Barret’s name. Listless the boy wanders back to the booth, flopping into the seat with a sigh.</p><p>Andrea’s never been the best with kids. But seeing the usually bright eyed boy so down tugs at him. He moves to take the chair across from Denzel, leaning on the table top.</p><p>“You’re worried about Cloud, huh?” Andrea asks, keeping his voice light.</p><p>“No.” Denzel says, not looking at him. Flicking a few stray crumbs across the table top. Andrea can’t help the small smile that tugs at his face. Sometimes it’s eerily easy to picture Denzel as Cloud’s kid. Then the red-head sighs, leaning down to rest his head on his folded arms, frowning at his shadow. “Cloud’s the strongest guy alive.”</p><p>“He is that.” Andrea agrees with a chuckle. “Do you know I met him?”</p><p>“They don’t talk about Midgar or any of that stuff much.” Those dark blue eyes flit up to his, “...Why?”</p><p>“Well where I lived there was something called the Colosseum. It was an arena where fighters from all over Midgar would come to show their skills. We even had a champion at the end of it all. You’d see all kinds of things there. Men and women, beasts. Even mechs.”</p><p>“Mechs?” Denzel says, sitting up a bit.</p><p>“Mmm hmm. Big machines that people...<em> borrowed </em> from Shinra.” Denzel finally smiles a little, clearly knowing what Andrea meant by ‘borrowed’. “And there was even a pair of them that were the champions in the Colosseum for a very long time. Thought no one would ever be able to topple them.”</p><p>“But then one night, this unusual pair showed up. A young man with the most ridiculous spiky hair I’d ever seen and a sword larger than he was tall-” Denzel giggles. “-and a stunning young lady who looked more like a flower than a fighter.”</p><p>“Cloud?” The boy sits up, interest clearly piqued. Then he frowns a little, tilting his head. “And the lady was...Aerith, right?”</p><p>“Indeed. People didn’t think much of them at first. They had their favourites already and this was just two rookies. Nothing special. No one worth mentioning.” How wrong they’d all been, Andrea thinks with a smile. Pleased his intuition had been right on the money. “By the end of the night, there wasn’t a person in Sector Six who hadn’t heard their names.”</p><p>“What!? Why? what happened?”</p><p>Andrea’s about half-way through regaling the boy with tales from the arena when Marlene joins them. So naturally he had to start the whole thing over again. Surprisingly, he finds he doesn’t mind it. It’s fun revisiting his memories. Calling up details he hasn’t thought of in ages. He’s just about to tell them of the Hell House when Tifa interrupts them.</p><p>“Denzel?” Tifa calls. They turn, to see Tifa sliding her cell phone across the counter, a smile on her face. “Someone wants to talk to you.”</p><p>Denzel’s whole body lights up as he launches himself from the booth and sprints over to the counter. Clambering up onto one of the stools,</p><p>“Cloud?”</p><p>There’s a crackle of static. Tifa must have it on speaker. Then Cloud’s blessedly familiar voice comes through.</p><p>“<em> Hey. </em>”</p><p>The tension that’s been in the air since Andrea walked in all but evaporates. A weight lifted off his shoulders. Tifa’s too by the look on her face as she tidies things up behind the counter, with one ear clearly turned towards the conversation.</p><p>“You’re late and you didn’t even call! You said you would.”</p><p>“<em> I know. Sorry. </em>”</p><p>“What were you doing?”</p><p><em> “Had to deal with some nasties out by Corel </em>.”</p><p>That at least seems to dim a little of Denzel’s annoyance. There’s a touch of hesitance in his voice when he continues, “Are you coming home now?”</p><p>Cloud hums in affirmation. “<em> Should be back tomorrow. </em>”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>Andrea’s attention wanders as the boy proceeds to fill Cloud in on the goings on while he’s been away. Marlene even hops up to join him, the joy in their voices so clear. And such a welcome contrast to the earlier worry. Andrea gets up and takes his empty glass back to the bar. Tifa takes it with a quiet thank you.</p><p>“-here too. He was telling Marlene and me about how he met you and Tifa.”</p><p>“<em> H-huh!? </em>”</p><p>Cloud’s sudden and uncharacteristically loud exclamation cuts right through the chat he’s having with Tifa. Andrea blinks, then understanding slowly crawls up into the back of his mid. He shares a look with Tifa, grinning wildly when he realizes she also knows exactly what’s got Cloud so choked.</p><p>“<em> Both of you shut the hell up! Not a word! </em>” Cloud snaps as they both collapse into giggles. Denzel and Marlene’s absolutely lost expressions do not help in the slightest.</p><p>“W-what?” Denzel says, looking between the adults. “I don’t get it? What’s so-”</p><p>“<em> Not important. </em>” Cloud’s short, curt tone just seems to confuse the poor boy too.</p><p>“You’re <em> so </em> weird Cloud.” Marlene says, Denzel nodding in agreement.</p><p>“But Cloud-” Andrea manages around his laughter. “There’s nothing for you to be embarrassed about. After all you were such a good dancer~”</p><p>The line goes dead.</p><p>“H-hey!” Denzel says staring at it wide eyed. Then he looks between Tifa and Andrea. “Now I really don’t get it!”</p><p>“Yeah, no fair! You have to tell us! I didn’t know Cloud could dance-” Marlene chimes in, that surprisingly potent pout on her face. Andrea might’ve cracked if Tifa hadn’t beaten him to it.</p><p>“It’s a story for another day, kids. It’s getting late and you both have school in the morning.” Tifa manages to wrangle herself back under control, if only just. She ushers them both upstairs amid their protests, returning a few minutes later, eyes still alight with mirth.</p><p>“I can’t believe I’d almost forgotten that.” She chuckles, something incredulous in her voice.</p><p>“It was certainly one of the more memorable evenings of my life, that’s for certain.” Andrea agrees, sighing a little dreamily just remembering it.</p><p>Tifa grins, “You did manage to make him <em> really </em> pretty. I didn’t recognize him at all till he spoke up.”</p><p>Andrea just waves a hand at her, smiling. “He hardly needs much help with that, though I appreciate the recognition for my contribution.”</p><p>“I can’t argue with that. Cloud was always cute. Even when we were kids.”</p><p>“I can only imagine.” Andrea pushes himself up off the bar, offering her one of his customary bows, “Well Tifa my dear, I think I should let you get on with your evening. Thanks ever so for the drink, the laugh and the fine company.”</p><p>“Anytime Andi. Have a good evening. See you soon!”</p><p>“Count on it. Good night.”</p><p>As Andrea steps outside Seventh Heaven he looks up towards the stars. Taking a deep breath of cool night air and letting it settle the last vestiges of worry lingering in the back of his mind. Cloud is fine. He’s out there in the ‘big’ world somewhere. Safe and on his way back.</p><p>It's nice going to bed that night, with the biggest worry on his mind being his self imposed deadline for the production. Makes it easy to let himself slip away in far more pleasant thoughts. And dreams of blue-green eyes and quiet smiles.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I've been having a hell of a time picking songs for Andi to preform to- so if anyone feels like suggesting things then cool. I am slowly building an un-official playlist for this series so I'll probably post that up to one day. ;P</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Bleeding Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Told ya it'd be quick ;)</p><p>Also mind the new tag!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Andrea isn’t expecting anyone that evening. So the rapid knock at his door somewhere close to eleven at night makes him wary. Cautious, he heads out to open the door. The light from the entryway spills out, illuminating the man leaning against the door frame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>My god- Cloud!” Andrea throws the door open, staring in horror at the blood stained hand pressed tight against Cloud’s side. His dark clothes are stained with blood all down the right side, shimmering ominously in the soft light. The pinched, pale nature of his face making his eyes super bright. “What happened!?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Behemoth about five miles out.” Cloud says through gritted teeth. “Sorry for dropping in, but-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t be ridiculous!” Andrea snaps, moving to support Cloud on his other side. Heart pounding when Cloud sags into his grip as the two of them shuffle through the house. Cloud can barely keep his feet under him. Andrea manages to get Cloud settled in the bathroom, leaning him back against the side of the tub before hauling out his first aid kit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s far from Andrea’s first time tending a wound. But it’s hard for him to keep his usual, detached air when it’s Cloud prone and bleeding in front of him. Andrea rallies his nerves, stills his racing mind and reaches to start peeling off Cloud’s shoulder guard and the torn, bloodied shirt. Apologizing as Cloud gasps in pain as he does.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea hisses between his teeth when he sees the vicious gashes scored across Cloud’s side. Oozing dark blood down his ribs. The skin of his chest and down into his stomach a smear of deep bruises. Purple and red and angry looking. Broken ribs most likely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud must’ve thrown some manner of curative over them. A potion or a cure spell or something. It’s the only feasible way Andrea can think that his insides are still just that given how brutally deep the lowest cut sits in his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I will say...” Andrea manages, a strange buzzing rush in his head. “Not exactly why I’d hoped to get you out of all these layers again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud huffs, the edge of a laugh. Then pain flares across his face. His head leans back, resting against the edge of the tub. Trembling and taking small, quick breaths. “You’re real funny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I like to think my wit’s one of my charms, yes.” Even though Andrea tries for levity, it falls flat. Cloud’s watching him, bright eyes distant under a fog of pain. He wets his lips, gaze dropping to the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sorry...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea flinches back from where he’d been feeling along the wound. Staring at Cloud, “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I screwed up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Doesn’t seem very SOLIDER-like I’ll admit. Ex or no.” Andrea teases, tone all wrong. Too sharp. Too brittle. Cloud gets a very odd expression on his face. His voice whisper soft when he speaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah...right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Concern quickly takes hold again. Digging it’s sharp claws into his own ribs as he hovers for a moment. Where the hell to even start-?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andrea-” The dancer can’t stand the underscore of apology in Cloud’s distressingly weak voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hush.” Unthinking, Andrea reaches up to stroke a hand against Cloud’s cheek. An attempt to soothe himself as much as Cloud. His usual show stopping smile feels miles away. But he tacks on as close an approximation as he can. “You’re alright. We’ll get you fixed up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud shakes his head, but even that seems to make him dizzy. “You don’t have to. I’ll be fine. Just need to stop the bleeding and I can get out-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea can’t even hear the next part of what Cloud says over the ringing in his ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>...Did he actually just say that?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The man is all but bleeding out on Andrea’s bathroom floor and he...what? Thinks he’s being a </span>
  <em>
    <span>nuisance</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Andrea’s never, in his life, wanted to shake sense into someone as badly as he does right now. There’s a tight little pressure building in his chest that feels very much like the edge of a scream.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud. If I let you go in this state I’d hate myself.” He tries to keep his voice even. But his anger bubbles through, lending sharpness to his words as he pins Cloud with a look. “By the Planet, it’s a miracle you made it back here at all. Now stop being stubborn and let me </span>
  <em>
    <span>help you!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You don’t need to-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another fracture ruptures Andrea’s heart. Digging down deep in the part of him that always finds an excuse to hold his tongue. To not pry and ask to know more about Cloud. Nearly chokes him as one thought circles around and around in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What in the hell had happened to make Cloud think he wasn’t worth someone caring about?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next thing he’s aware of the gentle thump of Cloud’s head against his chest as Andrea kneels beside him. Clutching him as close and tight as he dares. An arm around his shoulders, one hand against his head. He can feel blood start to seep into his clothes and he doesn’t care outside of the fact that Cloud’s losing too much of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Please.” Andrea’s low voice scratches rough against his throat. And he doesn’t care about that either. He just wants Cloud to listen to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andrea...?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea grips him tighter. Steadying himself with a breath before he pulls away to look at Cloud’s face. “Please let me take care of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud stares back at him. Something wide and young and fragile on his face. A heartbeat of stillness. Then Cloud subsides with a mute nod. Though whether that’s in actual acceptance or just plain exhaustion Andrea doesn’t know. Nor does he care, frankly. As long as Cloud lets him focus. He works at trying to clean the worst of blood from the wounds. When he sees their extent, Andrea’s worry only deepens. He’s honestly not sure if he has the right supplies or skill to treat something of this magnitude.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey.” Cloud’s been quiet, save stifled, pained noises that escape him as Andrea works. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> patch myself. I just-” Cloud gestures towards the bathroom door vaguely. For a second Andrea thinks Cloud’s telling him to leave and the sick feeling of concern and anger surges hot in his stomach. But then the blond continues, “There’s some Materia in my bike.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’ll go get it. Stay here.” Andrea points what he hopes is a stern finger at the other man and gets to his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He feels a little morbid as he steps outside. Glad it’s so late at night that his neighbours won’t see him fussing with the large bike. Traces of another man’s blood on his hands and stuck to his shirt. It takes him a moment to figure out how to raise the seat, but he manages it. There’s a scattering of items stored inside. A bedroll, trail food, canteen. Closer to the bottom sits a simple, but sturdy sack. Andrea scoops up the lumpy thing and opens it. Orbs of brightly colored light glitter back at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Bingo</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately he has absolutely no idea which one Cloud wants or even needs. There’s an array of colors and while Andrea has basic knowledge of them- green for elemental nonsense, blue for supplementary abilities, ect- they all look identical to those in their color spectrum to his eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea rushes back into the house, habitually locking it behind him. Better to leave this in the hands of the expert. Though speaking of-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Do I want to know why this wasn’t an option in the first place?” Andrea says as he enters the bathroom again, holding up the bag. Cloud’s expression twists, wry and self deprecating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I was an idiot. Used my energy fighting the damn thing.” Andrea has a feeling Cloud would shrug if he had even the slightest bit of energy to spare. He sounds so horribly casual about the whole thing. “And I did use it. That’s why I didn’t bleed out on the drive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought actually makes Andrea feel like retching. To know the current damage isn’t what it originally was. To know that it was worse-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hands Cloud the whole satchel and leans back against the sink, trying to stop his stomach churning. In less than a minute, Cloud’s fishing out one of the green orbs that looks exactly like every other. Cloud rolls the materia in his hand, eyes closing as he concentrates. A second or two later it glows, the light bleeding off into his hand. With a flick of his wrist, Cloud casts a tiny orb of brilliant, white-green light into the air. It settles over his skin like a net and vanishes just as quick. In its wake there’s a series of snaps that sound eerily like bone and Cloud gasps, eyes flying open. The vicious claw marks start to recede and seal themselves up, the bruising beginning to fade before Andrea’s very eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud slumps and for a moment Andrea’s heart’s back in his throat. But Cloud’s still conscious. Still breathing. Heavier now, but easier too. After a moment Cloud groans, head rolling a little so he can peak out of his mess of blond hair. The blue of his eyes a touch brighter than before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>See? Good as new.” He lies through his teeth. Like Andrea can’t still see the wounds. Can’t tell how carefully Cloud’s still holding himself. Can’t see the pain in his eyes or the sheen of sweat over his too pale skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea doesn’t understand magic or materia for that matter. But he does know real, tangible things like bandages and ointment. So he sets to work dressing the wound </span>
  <em>
    <span>properly</span>
  </em>
  <span> as Cloud rests. When he finishes, Andrea sits back, eyeing his work with a critical eye. Cloud perks up a little too, feeling along the edges before he looks at Andrea and gives him a nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You’re very welcome. Now please, don’t frighten me like that again.” Andrea tries for humour but misses the mark. By approximately five miles. Still too shaken and coming off the adrenaline rush. Cloud winces, something sheepish and genuine in his expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sorry. Your place was closer than the bar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as the words leave his mouth Andrea hears what Cloud’s not saying. He thinks Andrea means he shouldn’t have come here, at all. And he couldn’t have been more wrong. If anything, knowing that Cloud had come to him in a moment of such need...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea can’t describe the feeling. Bubbling under the surface of the worry. Bright and warm. He reaches out to brush a hand against Cloud’s cheek again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud. That’s not what I meant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s expression wavers. His eyes dropping to the floor. Then he nods, small, but firm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...I’ll try.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His words soften Andrea a little. “I’m glad you didn’t have </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> the sense knocked out of that pretty head of yours.” He holds out a hand. “Come. Let’s get you cleaned up and settled somewhere more comfortable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A strange sort of numb haze settles itself over Andrea as he works. Stripping Cloud of the rest of his blood stained attire, throwing it into the tub to soak once Andrea’s scrubbed his own skin clean. Carefully sponging any blood he missed from Cloud’s skin. He grabs them both a set of loose, comfortable nightwear. Once they’re both cleaned up and re-dressed, the haze starts to lift and he helps Cloud shuffle down into the living room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching Cloud settle on the couch is painful. He’s still clearly unwell despite the dose of cure or whatever other magic he’d worked on himself. Andrea aches just watching him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Would painkillers help?” He asks as the other man leans back against the arm of the couch with a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nah. They don’t mix well with all the Mako.” Cloud says, “It’ll pass. I laid a Regen over it so it’ll just take time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s skeptical. Cloud’s still far too pale for his blasé attitude to be more than a band-aid over Andrea’s worry. “What can I do in the meantime?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Stop mother henning?” Andrea stares at him. Aghast because this man came to him not an hour ago nearly cleaved in half. “Seriously Andrea. I’ve had worse.” Cloud really is quite terrible at putting people’s mind at ease concerning his well being. He seems blessedly aware of that though, because he offers Andrea a crooked hint of a smile. “Trust me. I’ll be fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea sighs, massaging the bridge of his nose. Damn this man and damn his heart alongside him. “Sit up a minute.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud does so, gingerly. Andrea slips onto the couch above him and coaxes Cloud to lay his head in his lap. Cloud blinks up at him, eyes bright and a little wider than usual. Andrea smiles at him, sinking his hands into Cloud’s wild hair. Calling up muscle memories of various pressure points.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, Andrea feels Cloud relax under the careful touches. His eyes flutter. He grunts, nose wrinkling a little. “Don’t lemme fall asleep. I need to...contact the bar. I promised-'' Whatever he’d meant to finish with is lost in a yawn. Andrea can’t help but chuckle a little. Stubborn man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Mmm. Just rest your eyes a bit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea means to wake him up. Knows that Tifa and the kids are probably worried; especially after last night. But he gets distracted. Watching the often absent peace on those pretty features. Softening the edges. The worry that’s been knotted in his stomach since Cloud showed up finally lets go. Easing out in time with the slow, even breaths of the man in his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blare of a familiar ringtone tears through the peace. They both jump, Cloud even making an attempt to lurch to his feet. Something instinctive in the motion and the way his hand drifts to his back. Reaching for a weapon that’s not there. Cloud groans as it pulls at his wounds. His hand falls to his side, wincing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Shit. That’ll be Tifa. Could you grab my phone?” Andrea runs to do so. Cloud looks like he’s bracing himself as he takes it with a muted, “Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tifa’s borderline frantic. Her voice is discernible, if not understandable. Andrea flinches, feeling horrible. He should’ve called her himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey Tifa.” Cloud sighs. “No. No I- yeah. Ran into some trouble coming back. I-” His blue eyes roll as he settles back against the couch again. “I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Tifa.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea quietly excuses himself. Better to let Cloud sort things out. It certainly isn’t Andrea’s place to lurk around. He slips away into the kitchen, deciding to get himself and Cloud a warm cup of tea. He thinks both of their nerves could use it. While the water boils he also slips away to deal with Cloud’s clothes. The shirt’s a lost cause, torn to shreds and irreversibly stained with the man’s blood. But the rest of it’s salvageable. When he makes it back, tea in hand, Tifa seems to have settled a little, her voice no longer audible from the phone Cloud’s got cradled against his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Probably just gonna spend the night here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He says it like a statement, but sends Andrea a questioning look. As if Andrea’s going to throw him out when he’s still hurt. Andrea just rolls his eyes at him and hands him the merrily, steaming mug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His annoyance softens a touch from the little smile Cloud gives him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah.” Cloud says, straightening up a bit and taking the phone in hand. “Will do. Tell Denzel I owe him.” Whatever Tifa says in response makes Cloud huff. “Mmm. ‘Night.” Cloud sighs as he ends the call, letting the phone drop to his chest. “I’m in for an earful when I get back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea takes a seat beside him, sipping at his tea. “Maybe avoid the monster next time then, hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not really an option.” Cloud says, rolling his own mug between his hands. “Somebody’s gotta make sure they don’t get too close to town. ‘Specially the bigger ones.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes and I do believe that’s what the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Watch</span>
  </em>
  <span> is for. Not our delivery boys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud just shrugs and nurses his drink. Andrea’s forgotten how bad this man is for his heart. For a lot of reasons. His attitude towards his own well being is something Andrea hadn’t expected. He remembers Cloud being confident and cocky, yes. But not </span>
  <em>
    <span>careless</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And yes, Andrea knows the man is strong. That’s just par for the course with SOLDIER’s- even former ones. But he is neither immortal or infallible and tonight was just proof of that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God Cloud looks so tired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyelids hang heavy over those too blue eyes. Sometimes when he blinks, it takes so long for him to open them again that Andrea wonders if he’s fallen asleep. But he always shakes himself out of it. Sometimes quietly. Other times jerking awake. Only his steady reflexes keep him from ending up with a lap full of tea. When it happens for the fifth time in as many minutes, Andrea reaches over and plucks the half-empty mug from Cloud’s loose grip. The man starts, eyes snapping open to fix on Andrea. It takes a heartbeat, but then he seems to realize where he is and the tension drains out. Cloud stifling a yawn behind his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Someone needs to get some rest.” Andrea says, unable to keep the lilting tease from his voice. Cloud’s so far gone he doesn’t even grumble at him for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Mmm. You got a spare blanket around?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea stares at him. “You’re not sleeping on the couch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud shrugs again and Andrea’s getting really tired of it. “It’s fine-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>No! You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>injured.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> It’s like the man keeps forgetting this fact, despite flinching near every time he so much as shifts. Andrea plants himself in front of Cloud who looks like he’s going to argue again. By the Planet herself. Why is he so stubborn? All Andrea wants is-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought stops him short.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What </span>
  <em>
    <span>does</span>
  </em>
  <span> he want? Sure they’ve kissed and held each other. But what of it? They’d done that and more besides in the past. It’s not as though they’re in any sort of defined </span>
  <em>
    <span>relationship </span>
  </em>
  <span>yet. They have no obligations to each other. Nothing but an apparent mutual interest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps that’s why Cloud’s so hesitant. Andrea can see that in the other’s face now. Peaking out at the edges of his stubborn frown. Because Cloud doesn’t know where he stands either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tension leaks out of Andrea’s shoulders and he makes a concentrated effort to relax his stance. Trying not to loom over the other man so much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I promise I want nothing from you, Cloud. But I can’t in good conscience leave you out here.” Funny how familiar this conversation feels. “Please?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The stubborn tilt of Cloud’s head vanishes near instantly. So, Andrea hadn’t been imaging it earlier. Those tired eyes blink up at him, a flicker inside them Andrea can’t quite put a finger on. Then finally Cloud sighs, all the usual fight in him dying out as he nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Lead on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s well past midnight now. Cloud’s fast asleep beside him. Breathing light and even. Andrea’s learned very quickly what a light sleeper the man is. His own body aches a little from holding so still for so long. But sleep has yet to find him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Andrea’s eyes slide over his peaceful form, his attention snags on the white bandages peeking out of the side of Cloud’s borrowed shirt. Andrea realizes something in the quiet of that moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows how to fight. How to keep himself safe and look out for number one. Even won his share of scraps back in the day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But that’s against human opponents.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And tonight's the first time Andrea takes a moment to think about it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Really</span>
  </em>
  <span> think about it. To realize how very different their world’s are. Remind himself that the man lying in his bed is a literal </span>
  <em>
    <span>hero</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Like the ones in the pages of all those old novels Andrea still likes to indulge in. One who saved their world. Twice over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The weight of that realization isn’t something Andrea’s sure how to handle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because all at once Cloud’s someone who can get into a fight with a feral behemoth and </span>
  <em>
    <span>live</span>
  </em>
  <span>. By the skin of his teeth this time perhaps, but that’s more than can be said for dozens, if not hundreds, of other fool-hardy adventurers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Cloud’s also one of the only people in the world who’d get into that situation in the first place. Who goes actively looking for danger. Or stands his ground when it comes into his path.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea knew, from the first time he ever laid eyes on him, that Cloud is a protector by his very nature. Andrea helped doll him up so he could infiltrate a crime-lord’s house to keep a young woman safe for god sake. That kind of impression doesn’t just go away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This probably isn’t going to be the only time Andrea finds himself bandaging up wounds in the middle of the night. He finds himself okay with that, even though he prays it doesn’t become anything approaching a habit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, in the unfortunate event that it does, Andrea can say with certainty that he’ll never be able to turn Cloud away again.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea doesn’t think he’s ever woken up to a prettier sight than then the one that greets him that morning. Opening his eyes to Cloud. Still and peaceful. There’s actual color to his skin this morning- thank god. And from what Andrea can tell he’s breathing much easier now too. Pained furrow faded from between his eyes, leaving nothing but a tranquil emptiness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All Andrea can think is he’s glad he’s an earlier riser. Gives him a real excuse to do nothing more than lounge in bed. Head resting on his arms as he watches Cloud slowly wake a few minutes later. And learn that it’s unfairly adorable to watch Cloud’s nose scrunch up as he blinks open those wide, beautiful eyes of his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Good morning.” Andrea calls, soft and warm. Unable to keep the smile from his face when Cloud’s attention turns to him. Something quietly surprised in his expression before it melts down into something approaching a smile itself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea watches, helpless, hopelessly fond as Cloud reaches up to fuss with his mussed spikes. Deflated a little from sleep and hanging more around his face than usual. A tiny annoyed frown on those pretty lips. The dancer chuckles low in his chest. Cloud blinks and glances over at him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I was just thinking how I didn’t get to kiss you last night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Knock yourself out.” Cloud says, trying for uncaring but missing the mark by a mile. Sweet in the way he won’t meet Andrea’s eye. The dancer smiles and shifts to hover over Cloud. Pleased when Cloud’s attention flickers back to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea reaches out to run his fingers along Cloud’s jaw. Cloud’s expression flickers for a moment, his lips parting the smallest amount. Like he’d been about to speak, but lost the thought along the way. Leaning down, Andrea brushes the end of his nose against Cloud’s, breathing him in. Watches in quiet delight as those pretty eyes dart down to his mouth for an instant. Cloud shifts beneath him, head tilting, a faint, pondering expression on his face. Andrea nearly shivers when Cloud’s fingers touch the side of his neck. The faintest pressure against his skin as Cloud watches him. Silent. Intent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea leans in to brush his lips against Cloud’s. Just the faintest glancing touch. Smiling when the other tips his head back to catch him properly. Andrea lets him, sinking down a little further, one arm braced on the other side of Cloud’s head. Cloud’s hand slips around from his neck. Shifting to cradle the curve of his skull. Carefully, Andrea slips his other arm underneath Cloud’s shoulders. Arching him slightly. Catching the faint sound Cloud makes by pressing closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something unspools inside him. Some sharp tension letting go in a warm rush. Enough to make Andrea pull back. Enough to content himself resting his forehead against Cloud’s. Watching the light flicker in the depths of those blue-green jewels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s relief, Andrea decides. Soaking in the feeling of Cloud’s against him. Letting it settle deep down against his heart. Words repeating through his head in a silent mantra.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He’s here. He’s safe</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But that thought alone is enough to drag Andrea’s attention back. To remind him of exactly why Cloud’s here in his bed. With a sigh Andrea pulls back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I should check your wounds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man snorts beneath him. A huffy, breathy noise that almost sounds like a laugh in the warm morning sun. “If you want. But it’s probably fine now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them sit up, Cloud stripping off his shirt in a single fluid movement. If it weren’t the sight of the bandages wrapped snug around his chest, Andrea’s not sure he could’ve stopped himself from kissing the man again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea carefully unwinds the lengths of off white linen from Cloud’s ribs. Apparently the once mercenary wasn’t lying. The claw marks are little more than pale pink lines now. Like a very angry cat had caught him, instead of some raging monstrosity trying to gut him. They’re still tender though, given how Cloud flinches under his more prodding touches.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Remarkable.” Andrea says with a hint of awe. Cloud’s eyes cut away from his, something small and self-deprecating tucked in the shadows of his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>That’s a word for it, yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>For you it’s the only one I find fits most of the time.” Andrea savours the startled look on Cloud’s face. Reaches up to tap the end of his nose. “Hungry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud swats at his hand, glower thoroughly ruined by his impressive bedhead. “Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Good. I make a mean breakfast. Come along.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud doesn’t stick around for long after they finish and Andrea doesn’t try to make him. He’s got other obligations and a promise to a very sweet young man to keep. So Andrea sees him off. Cheekily telling him to come back, preferably when he isn’t cut in two. Cloud gives him a truly impressive eye roll.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>No promises.” He says, sliding his goggles into place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Of you coming back or the blood?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What do you think?” Cloud says over the roar of the engine, offering Andrea a small smirk that does really awful things to his heart. Then the expression softens a touch and does something even worse to it. “Thanks again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>My door’s always open.” Andrea replies, smiling even as Cloud drives away. The pressure in his chest threatens to re-surge, but he pushes it back. Everything’s fine now. Cloud is fine. No time to be wasted wallowing in ‘what-if’s and ‘could haves’. Life’s too short. Moments too fleeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Cloud had come to him. In a moment of need. In a moment of weakness. Turned to Andrea and that </span>
  <em>
    <span>meant</span>
  </em>
  <span> something. Enough to calm his heart. Enough to silence the little voice in the back of his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Enough that Andrea can get on with his day.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Roses Have Thorns</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>On the trend of Avasti being The Actual Best: second half of this chapter was 1000% inspired by them. So please remember to leave them a thank you for the fluff! &lt;3</p><p>Also end notes have links if you want to know the two songs I envisioned and a reference picture for 'the rose'. </p><p>Thanks as ever for reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cloud does come back, sooner rather than later. Thankfully both blood and injury-free. Andrea rewards him with a series of kisses that winds up with them both sprawled together on his sun warmed bed.</p><p>It’s been years since Andrea’s has had- or even wanted- intimacy without the promise of sex to follow. So long that Andrea honestly can’t remember the last time. Even his earliest encounters with Cloud had been fuelled by an undercurrent of desire. It’s not like the desire’s gone either. Not at all. Only that Andrea doesn’t feel the <em> need </em> to scratch that particular itch. He’s just enjoying the feel of Cloud under him. The distantly familiar lines of his body against his own. The press of his lips. The smell of his skin and silk of his hair.</p><p>It’s a little like opening a time capsule in his mind. Drawing out old, distant memories and marvelling at them like they’re new. Of taking new memories and adding them in.</p><p>Like how he apparently missed the small smattering of freckles Cloud has. Spread across his nose and cheeks. A travesty he rectifies by kissing as many of them as he can before Cloud pushes him away. Grumbling at him in that wonderfully familiar way. Still Andrea listens- for now- shifting instead to lay on Cloud’s chest, arms folded under his head. He angles his body so that Cloud doesn’t take the entirety of his weight. Contenting himself just to tangle their legs together.</p><p>Besides his grumbling, Cloud’s been quiet- even for him. But it’s a thoughtful kind of silence. Accompanied by tentative brushes of one of his hands against Andrea’s back and shoulders. The other’s resting by his ribs, letting Andrea play with his pretty fingers. Cloud’s free hand drifts up along the line of Andrea’s neck. The dancer hums at the sensation. A shiver threatening his spine. The wandering fingers pauses as they reach the tender patch of skin behind his right ear.</p><p>“What’s this?”</p><p>Ah.</p><p>“It’s a flower my dear.” Andrea says, purposefully vague as he winks at Cloud. The hand behind his ear stills for a moment. A brief furrow on Cloud’s brow before it smooths.</p><p>“Okay.” He says, voice quiet and continues to trace the edges of dark ink. Andrea blinks, turning his head to catch a little more of Cloud’s expression. He’s serious, Andrea realizes after a moment of study. He’s not going to push for an answer. For a true explanation. Content to let it be now that Andrea’s brushed it off.</p><p>He’s never had someone like Cloud. Someone who noticed, then content to let Andrea’s non-answers lie. It’s not like Andrea forgets he has it. He still remembers the day he got it done. But it’s been a long time since anyone’s really looked that close at him. Since he’s <em> let </em> anyone this close.</p><p><em> How’s he supposed to open up if you don’t? </em> Andrea’s inner voice chimes and. Well. He can’t exactly argue with that.</p><p>“And it’s a reminder.” Cloud lets out a confused grunt and Andrea smiles to himself as he continues, “To never let myself become stagnant.”</p><p>Longer still since he’s wanted to explain.</p><p>“My mother was called ‘the Rose of Wall Market’ back in her day. The most infamous woman in what they then called The Garden. Beautiful, but with thorns sharp enough to skewer anyone’s heart.”</p><p>He feels Cloud brush a finger over his tattoo again. The motion slow as Cloud makes a low, considering noise in his chest.</p><p>“That’s what kind of flower this is.” He says it like a fact. Something he already knew, just needed a reminder. Andrea’s brow jumps. Well, well. Even more unexpected surprises.</p><p>“That’s right. I’m impressed. Most people don’t recognize it.”</p><p>The hand Andrea’s holding fidgets slightly, before Cloud sighs. A quiet, weary little noise. His voice is full of an aching kind of fondness as he speaks. “...Aerith used to tell us about ones that aren’t really around anymore.”</p><p>“Hmmm. She knew her stuff.” Andrea squeezes Cloud's hand gently. He knows talking about Aerith is hard on him. To try and take his mind off it, Andrea continues his story. “I was quite young when I took over the Garden. My mother’d long since passed on by then of course, but I still wanted to honor her legacy- such as it were. I thought about how to do that for a long time, but it clicked when I took over. You see bastards don’t get family names. So I took my mother’s for mine.”</p><p>“Rhodea.”</p><p>Andrea smiles, pleased Cloud’s following along. “It apparently stands for rose in some forgotten tongue or another.” Andrea waves a hand flippantly. The origin of his ‘family’, such as it was, meant nothing to him. Such things didn’t put food in a starving boy’s belly. It didn’t buy him shoes that didn’t make his feet bleed after dancing for hours- for practise or cliental. It didn’t  help him climb the ladder of success. All he has left of it- and his brief flicker of a childhood- now is his name and a few half remembered phrases. “Hence the mark.”</p><p>Cloud seems to mull that over for a moment. Then, tentatively, he asks, “You said it was a reminder...?”</p><p>“I didn’t want to turn into the flower my mother was. Admired, but always stuck in one place.” A long dormant pride wells in Andrea’s chest. He turns his eyes to Cloud’s and smiles. “I wanted to be the bee. To become the one who helped the flowers grow. To make them reach the highest potential of their beauty.” Realization washes over Cloud’s face and Andrea nods. “That’s why I re-branded the whole operation after I took over.”</p><p>“Heh.” There’s something almost sly about the curve of Cloud’s mouth. Andrea blinks and tips his head.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I just thought you had some really weird fetishes.”</p><p>Andrea gasps, all put upon hurt and betrayal. He presses a hand to his chest. “Cloud Strife, you wound me. I thought you of all people would see my artistic vision.” Andrea falls to the bed, hand pressed to his forehead. “I don’t think I shall ever recover!”</p><p>Cloud sits up and looks down at him with the most adorably, confused set of puppy dog eyes Andrea’s ever seen. It’s strange at times, to be reminded that Cloud’s so unsure around people. That he doesn’t really seem to know how to ‘play along’. He has his moments of course, like his earlier jabs. But then he can just as easily seem to lose that playful spark.</p><p>Andrea softens, offering Cloud a smile as he drops his hand. “I’m teasing, you precious boy.”</p><p>“I- I know that.” Cloud says, bristling a little and glancing away. The line of his shoulders tense and uncomfortable.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t know why, but this side of Cloud always makes him feel sad. So much of who Cloud is and where he comes from is a mystery still. And Andrea makes it a point not to poke and prod at others for their life stories. But now that he’s shared a part of his, Andrea can’t help but feel the huge void in his knowledge concerning Cloud’s. Even the smallest hit of it.</p><p>But whenever Andrea works himself up to asking, his inner voice pipes up. Reminding Andrea of the scars. Of the hurt in those blue-green eyes. Of moments Cloud’s mind seems to walk away and leave a pretty, but empty shell behind.</p><p><em> Don’t pry </em> . The little voice in the back of his head cautions. <em> Don’t push it. Don’t drive him away again. </em></p><p>It’s been getting hard to listen to the voice as the days drag on. As Andrea sees more and more of Cloud. Realizes how very in the dark he is. Harder still with Tifa’s advice buzzing around in his head too.</p><p>
  <em> Don’t treat him like glass. </em>
</p><p>“Cloud-?”</p><p>“ ‘s fine. Not important.”</p><p>But it is. It is, because it’s another thing Andrea doesn’t know. Because it’s something that has the potential to hurt Cloud. Andrea doesn’t believe for a moment that he will ever know everything about this man. But surely he should know enough, so he can avoid stepping on an unexpected landmine and blowing everything to pieces.</p><p>Again.</p><p>“Talk to me.” Andrea says, unable to rein in the touch of desperation behind those words. Cloud looks at him, brow furrowed in obvious confusion.</p><p>“About...what?”</p><p>“Everything.” Andrea says, and realizes immediately that might border on too much. Reels himself back in, “Anything. Anything at all that comes to mind. I want to get to know you.” Cloud huffs at that. Andrea watches him, ignoring the sting, “You don’t believe me?”</p><p>Cloud blinks, something flickering in his expression before he turns away again. Shaking his head. “...It’s not that easy.”</p><p>“I’m not expecting it to be.” And he isn’t. God knows what this man’s been through during the course of his life. Andrea’s seen the literal scars it’s left on him. Seen the crushing weight of it in those bright eyes so many times. Andrea just barely stops himself from reaching out. From physically closing the distance between them. The other already looks uncomfortable. If Cloud really doesn’t want to talk about it then...</p><p>What can he do but respect that? Cloud hadn’t pushed him for answers after all.</p><p>“Very well. I won’t push you.”</p><p>Andrea tries, but can’t quite keep the sigh from his voice. Sitting up to perch on the edge of the bed. He’s not planning on leaving, but if Cloud needs his space Andrea will oblige. He just wishes he understood…</p><p>A lot of things.</p><p>The house is near silent around them, just the distant rush of traffic through the walls. Then, suddenly, something brushes against his arm. Fleeting enough to startle Andrea from his thoughts. He turns back to see Cloud pulling his hand away. Looking  at him with wide, sad eyes.</p><p>“Hey.” Cloud’s voice is so achingly soft. But the tentative worry in it is a dagger to Andrea’s heart. “Listen it’s-”</p><p>Cloud’s jaw clenches as his voice wavers and fades. A stubborn set to his expression. Andrea watches as he takes a deep breath, tension building even as he lets it out. Cloud nods, to himself again. Some internal decision reached. But he can’t seem to bring himself to look at Andrea. Not fully.</p><p>“I lived in a little nothing village called Nibelheim ‘till I was fourteen. Tifa was the only person I could stand there ‘cept my mom. Her name was Claudia and she was an amazing cook.”</p><p>There’s an odd feeling in Andrea’s heart. Wonder and horror all mixed into one. Because the way Cloud’s talking is...unnerving. Like he has to remind himself of these simple things. A little like he’s being fed a script. One he’s repeated to himself over and over in an effort not to forget.</p><p>“I joined up with Shinra. Went back home when I was sixteen. Then Sephiroth burned it all down and everything went to hell.”</p><p>Andrea feels a shiver down his spine. Cloud’s voice is a mix of rage and pain and sorrow. So full of emotion it sounds empty. Cold. Desolate.</p><p>“Cloud-” He tries but the other cuts him off with a short, but sharp shake of his head. What comes out of Cloud’s mouth next is something Andrea never anticipated.</p><p>“That’s most of what I know for sure. There’s some other stuff too, yeah. But...” The man trails off, shaking his head. Something painful in the shadow of his eyes.</p><p>“What...?” Andrea breathes, a cold understanding starting to crawl it’s way up into his lungs. So icy he can barely breath around it.</p><p>“I’m missing...pieces.” Cloud holds out his empty hands, gazing at them blindly while he shrugs. “There’s shit about me and my life that I honestly don’t have answers to. I mean. I know the big <em> why’s </em>behind it. And why I don’t. But. That’s really all I got.” His hands curl into fists. “I know it sounds like bullshit-”</p><p>“No.” Andrea interrupts him immediately. “No, it doesn’t.”</p><p>Andrea’s seen it before, to some extent, after all. He lived in Wall Market for god’s sake. Mako junkies were just a fact of life. He remembers the bouncers having to chase off more than a few of them from the Inn. Remembers their slack, empty faces. Losing fragments of themselves was just par for the course. Especially the ones who pushed too far. Who poisoned themselves on too large doses.</p><p>It’s unnerving to think he’d thought any differently for SOLIDER’s and their like. For no other reason than. Well. SOLDIER’s were ‘manufactured’ as it were. Dosed in a <em> professional </em> capacity. Andrea supposes that he’d just assumed the side effects would be different.</p><p>Stupid to think, Andrea realizes. He’s learned more than enough of Shinra’s internal cruelty just from talking with Cloud. Of the little things he’d let slip every now and then.</p><p>“I had no idea.” Andrea says softly. And he means it. For the revelation as a whole. And Cloud’s specific tale. A rather large piece of the puzzle that was Cloud Strife clicks unnervingly into place.</p><p>“Most people don’t.” Cloud draws his knees up to his chest. Arms wrapped loosely around them. Picking at his nails, nothing happy about the sharp curve of his mouth. “And I’m a special case of fucked up.”</p><p>There it is again. That low, ugly tone of self loathing in his voice. A perfect match to the expression on his face. Distant and closed. Pained.</p><p>“It’s not that I- that I don’t <em> trust </em> you or whatever.” Cloud’s eyes turn to Andrea briefly, before darting away just as quick. “I just...”</p><p>Two-toned eyes swim. A sea of emotions that threatens to drown not only Cloud, but Andrea as well. He looks so...small. Young. Defeated.</p><p>“Andrea, I don’t know where to even begin.”</p><p>Andrea reaches out and places a hand over both of Cloud’s. Stilling his fidgeting. The blond twitches beneath his touch, but he doesn’t pull away. Andrea smiles when Cloud’s gaze tentatively returns to his.</p><p>“When’s your birthday?”</p><p>Cloud blinks. Staring at him blankly before he manages to find his voice. “H-huh?”</p><p>“Indulge me?” Andrea tilts his head, winsome as he squeezes Cloud’s hands gently. Cloud frowns, something almost calculating in his eyes as he glances away for a moment.</p><p>“Uh. August. 11th.” He looks back, confusion so clear in his face. “Why?”</p><p>“Well, that’s three more things I know about you now.” Andrea lifts his free hand, ticking them up on his fingers as he speaks, “Your hometown, your mother’s name and your birthday. I’d say that’s a pretty good start.”</p><p>Cloud looks a little like Andrea’s just ripped the rug out from under him. Expression blank, like he’s in shock. Eyes darting back and forth across the air. A small,  painful furrow starts appearing between his eyes.</p><p>“...Sorry.” Cloud’s voice wavers as he hunches in on himself further. An edge of quiet, but sharp panic drifting into his voice. “I forget there’s stuff before- I mean that isn’t-”</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea can tell Cloud’s starting to tread on thin ice. Something hazy and shaken deep in his eyes. His focus slipping. The pitfalls of Cloud’s past starting to yawn open beneath his feet. Andrea’s not going to let him fall. “It’s alright. I understand.”</p><p>Because Andrea knows how to read between the lines. Heard so many things that Cloud hasn’t outright said. A lost home. A dead mother. He wants Cloud to know he doesn’t have to dive right into the ‘hard’ things. That Andrea just wants him to feel like he can open up. About any of it.</p><p>But god if it doesn’t feel like Andrea’s own heart is shattering to pieces in his chest. That this quiet, brilliant soul has been hurt so badly, so often. That Cloud can’t think of his past, doesn’t <em> remember </em> so much of it, that's not just pain. That he seems to define himself by it.</p><p>And all Cloud had told him was just more unsettling, vague moments. Snapshots of a far greater whole. Coupled with his apparent memory loss, though, Andrea can’t find it in himself to be surprised. It is any wonder Cloud’s so damn hesitant to talk about himself?</p><p>Andrea knew it’d be hard.</p><p>He just…</p><p>He wasn’t expecting his next real ‘peek behind the curtain’ would hurt so badly. In a way Andrea didn’t think he could ever be prepared for.</p><p>But Cloud still let him in.</p><p>And perhaps he hasn’t ‘learned’ much in a concrete way. But now Andrea has an answer. A reason. An understanding that quiets some of the worries he has bubbling in the back of his mind. The dancer takes a slow breath. Steadying himself. Steadying his heart and the building tremor that threatened to make his hands shake. Lets it out and offers a steady hand to Cloud.</p><p>“Come here...?”</p><p>Cloud looks at him. Expression hovering on the edge of breaking. Fragile and hurting and it makes Andrea <em> ache </em>. But Cloud swallows, takes a breath and reaches to place his hand in Andrea’s. He takes it and pulls Cloud close. Tucks him in against his side, laying his cheek against that wild, but soft nest of spikes. Curling a hand against the back of Cloud’s neck gently. Holds him tight as Cloud ducks his head into the curve of his neck.</p><p>“Told you.” Cloud says, voice a quiet, rough whisper against his skin. “Special case of fucked up.”</p><p>Andrea sighs through his nose. Keeping his voice light as he replies, “And yet, here you are.” He toys absently with the soft hairs at the back of Cloud’s neck, smiling a little. “Perhaps I’m biased. But I do find that rather special.”</p><p>Cloud goes still against him. Just for a moment. A scattering of heartbeats. Then he twists, nearly turning into Andrea’s lap. Lean arms wrap around Andrea’s neck. Holding him tight. Andrea’s smile grows, wrapping an arm around Cloud’s waist in turn.</p><p>“...When’s yours?”</p><p>Cloud asks after a few minutes of quiet, voice stronger now. The sound of it eases the disquiet in the back of Andrea’s mind. Brushing his thumb against the edge of Cloud’s neck as he asks,</p><p>“My...?”</p><p>“Birthday.”</p><p>Andrea’s blinks, surprised. “Ah. August 16th. 1980.”</p><p>Cloud finally lifts his head, sitting himself up. He looks calmer now. More present. One brow arching slightly, a faintly skeptical expression on his face. “No shit?”</p><p>Andrea shakes his head, grinning. “Not one.”</p><p>“Hmm. ‘86.”</p><p>“Oh to be young again.” Andrea laments, laughing when Cloud rolls his eyes and moves away. Andrea catches one of his hands before he can pull back entirely. Pressing his lips to Cloud’s slim fingers before letting him go. The fact that Cloud lets him, even squeezes his hand in return before his old prickly nature rears its head, makes Andrea smile.</p><p>Cloud pauses in the doorway, one hand resting on the frame, tapping a finger against it as he thinks. After a moment he looks back at Andrea, something tentative and hopeful in his bright, bright eyes.</p><p>“Think I still remember one of mom’s old recipes. You hungry?”</p><p>“Starved.” Andrea manages around the sudden lump in his throat. Cloud nods and heads off, presumably headed for the kitchen. He closes his eyes and makes himself take a deep breath. Makes the knot inside him unspool, even a little.</p><p><em> One step at a time </em> . Andrea tells himself, getting to his feet and following after Cloud. <em> That’s the best way to learn any dance </em> . <em> We take this one step at a time. </em></p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Come now. How is that a difficult question to answer?”</p><p>“Not doing this right now.”</p><p>“I bet it’s purple.” Andrea cocks his head to the side, gaze trailing down the lovely lines of Cloud’s back. “Purple looks beautiful on you.”</p><p>“Never worn purple.”</p><p>“Don’t have to. I have a <em> very </em> good imagination.” Andrea takes another sip from his wine glass. His second of the evening. The rush is starting to go to his head a little. He grins, raising his voice like an auctioneer. “Purple going once.”</p><p>“Andrea.”</p><p>“Purple going twice.”</p><p>“I’m serious-”</p><p>“I’m not hearing a denial~”</p><p>“Don’t-”</p><p>“Ladies and Gentleman, let it be known that Cloud Strife’s favourite colour is-!”</p><p>Andrea’s bold proclamation is lost in a sputter as a spoon suddenly slips past his lips. He’d be horribly indignant about it too, if it wasn’t for the fact the stew was perhaps the most delicious thing he’s ever tasted. He swallows, fingers hovering above his lips in surprise. Savouring the medley of flavors before Andrea stares at Cloud.</p><p>“My god. You can <em> actually </em> cook. Why did I not know this?”</p><p>Cloud ignores him, busy dishing up two bowls full of the stuff and setting them on the table.</p><p>“Sit down and eat before it gets cold.”</p><p>While he’s a little sad Cloud’s not playing along anymore, Andrea’s not one to turn down such a delicious meal. So he sits obediently and accepts the few slices of bread Cloud hands him to go along with it. With a quiet ‘Thank you.’ Andrea tucks in with a smile as Cloud sits opposite of him to do the same.</p><p>It’s been an interesting evening. Cloud dragged him out to grab a few supplies when he’d caught sight of Andrea’s- by his own admission- ‘woefully barren’ cupboards. Muttering under his breath,</p><p>“Didn’t think you <em> actually </em>meant starving.”</p><p>Andrea waved off his concerns. He’s been too busy at the studio the past while to go out to get things. He’s been eating. Just...not at home. As they’d walked from Andrea’s apartment to the little corner store a few blocks down, Andrea had an idea.</p><p>“What’s your favourite food?” He asks, glancing at Cloud. Smiling when he startles Cloud out of his thoughts.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Mine’s curry. Versatile, warming and delicious. You?”</p><p>“Umm...” Cloud’s confusion trails off into a kind of thoughtful quiet. He shrugs, “I dunno. I guess I like pizza a lot.”</p><p>“Favourite kind?”</p><p>“Like I could pick one.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles. “Fair enough. Your turn.”</p><p>“You mean...just ask a question?”</p><p>“Mmm hmm. Whatever you like.”</p><p>“Uh. Well.” Cloud mulls it over for a time, the store coming into view down the way. “What’s your...favourite drink?”</p><p>“Well on the daily, I love my green teas. But for fun? Definitely wine. Reds, preferably.”</p><p>“Shocker.” Cloud mutters, something light in his expression. Andrea nudges him with a shoulder before hurrying ahead to open the door for him. They each grab baskets and start wandering the aisles.</p><p>“What’re we having for supper anyway?” Andrea asks, genuinely curious.</p><p>“Surprise.” Cloud says, sorting through a tower of onions. He glances at Andrea. “Allergies?”</p><p>“Thankfully no. I get to enjoy all the goodies. You?”</p><p>“Can’t do seafood.”</p><p>Andrea gasps. “That is a tragedy. You poor thing.”</p><p>“Makes being in Costa real fun, yeah. You’re up.”</p><p>The trip positively flies by and Andrea’s convinced he’s heard Cloud speak more today than he has in nearly all the time he’s known him. They both keep their questions light, simple. Things that matter in the now.</p><p>Andrea can’t remember the last time he had so much fun.</p><p>With a sigh of contentment, Andrea pushes his bowl away from him and lounges back in his chair. “That,” He says, pointing to the dish he’s all but licked clean for a second time. “was <em> incredible </em>.”</p><p>Cloud shrugs, something pleased hovering in the corners of his mouth. “It was okay. Mom’s was better. Had this thing she did with the spices or something.”</p><p>There’s a flicker of melancholy in his eyes. First time its shown up for hours. The dancer drains his third glass of wine, letting Cloud have a moment to himself. Sees him tuck the ache away, reaching to gather up their dishes. Andrea beats him to it.</p><p>“Leave it. You cooked. I’ll clean up.” He places them to soak in the sink and turns back to Cloud. “Later though. Right now, I want you to come with me.”</p><p>“Where?”</p><p>“Surprise.” Andrea says, winking at Cloud as he holds out a hand. The blond sighs and takes it, letting Andrea pull him along back out the door. The dancer only pauses to scoop up the small music player he’s temporarily <em> borrowed </em>from work and a disc of old favourites..</p><p>The moon hangs high in the sky, casting a silvery-blue tint over everything as they climb the short fire escape up to the roof. It’s a bland, boring space. Just a square of grey concrete with a few empty terracotta pots stacked precarious in one corner and a pair of low steel benches along the east side. But it’s the view, in Andrea’s opinion, that makes the whole thing worth it. The sky is an open blanket of silver stars above and the world stretching out for miles beyond. The harshness of the barren soil softened by the dark.</p><p>Andrea sets the player down on the nearest bench, switching out the discs and fiddling with the knobs and buttons. In a moment, a quiet swell of music lifts into the air. With a grin he pushes himself up and paces to the centre of the roof. With a twirl and a dramatic bow, he beckons Cloud over.</p><p>“Dance with me.” Cloud stares at him, blank and unimpressed. “Come on. Nobody else is around. It’s just you and me.”</p><p>“...You’re drunk.” Cloud says, far more statement than accusation.</p><p>“On you.” Andrea winks, grinning. “And, alright, maybe a little of that sweet, sweet bottle of 1935.”</p><p>“Pretty sure the whole bottle’s more than a little.”</p><p>Andrea just flaps a hand at him. Semantics really. And it wasn’t the<em> whole </em> bottle thank you very much. “Come on, Cloud.” Andrea says, a light, but plaintive note in his voice. “Please?”</p><p>Cloud rolls his eyes skyward. That familiar expression of reluctant acceptance on his face as he sighs.</p><p>“Fine. You lead.”</p><p>Andrea beams and glides forward to catch one of Cloud’s wrists, pulling him in close. To his credit, Cloud barely stumbles. Catching himself with a hand on Andrea’s shoulder and falling into position so naturally Andrea feels a brief flicker of something approaching jealousy. Damn this man and his ridiculous, natural grace. It stirs something low in Andrea’s gut. Still, he smiles at Cloud and starts to lead them both. One of Cloud’s hands in his, his other resting against that lean waist.</p><p>He keeps it simple at the start. Shifting them about in rhythmic circles. Pleased to see the lingering stiffness in Cloud’s frame start to drift away as they continue. Easy to get lost in the simple music, the closeness. As the music shifts, he grows a little bolder too, swaying them to the rhythm. Even coaxing Cloud into simple turns. Unable to keep the smile from his face from growing when the other complies with barely a roll of his lovely eyes when they meet Andrea’s again.</p><p>“You get that out of your system?” Cloud asks, an edge of quiet humour to his words. Andrea grins and shakes his head.</p><p>“I’ve had you in my system three years now, beautiful. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.” The next song kicks in as Cloud ducks his head. Andrea recognizes the song immediately and his smile grows.</p><p><em> How appropriate </em>.</p><p>Reaching to tilt Cloud’s chin up. The blond frowns at him a little, going to speak. But Andrea presses a finger to Cloud’s lips. “Shhh, shhh, shhh. Listen.” He says, ignoring the slightly stunned, mostly annoyed look Cloud gives him. “This song’s about you.”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>The dancer pulls him a little closer, urging Cloud’s arms up around his neck as his both settle on Cloud’s waist. Andrea leans in, nuzzling his nose against the curve of Cloud’s ear. Singing along quietly as the song continues, “<em> Hope you don’t mind. I hope you don’t mind that I put down in wooords~ </em> ” Andrea pulls back with a smile, shifting to meet Cloud’s eyes. “ <em> How wonderful life is, now you’re in the world. </em>”</p><p>Cloud snorts, that unreasonably sweet little laugh of his as he shakes his head. “Wow. You’re way drunker than I thought.”</p><p>Andrea ignores him. He can see the smile hovering around the edges of Cloud’s lips. See the brightening touch of color in those adorable, freckled cheeks. Makes it the easiest thing on the Planet to pull him back into a ‘proper’ stance. To lead him across the roof in slow circles. Alternating between humming the melody and singing along.</p><p>And despite all his grumbling, all his eye rolling and protests, Cloud follows. Sticking close, rhythm shifting with Andrea’s. Easy. Fluid. Matching him beat for beat.</p><p>“<em> Yours are the sweetest eyes I’ve ever seen~ </em>”</p><p>The music swells and Andrea spins Cloud out from him. Keeping one of their hands locked together as he leads him through a series of long, sweeping ballroom steps. Grinning, wide and delighted as Cloud adapts to every one. Catches Cloud’s echoing smile at the end of one of his spins. Andrea’s heart swells, a wave of emotion spilling over. Making his voice tremble.</p><p>The song softens and he pulls Cloud gently back into the circle of his arms. Arms falling in a loose hold around his waist as Cloud’s back presses to Andrea’s chest. Close and safe, smiling as Cloud looks back over his shoulder at him, eyes a little wide. Face a little more flushed.</p><p>Drawn in by the music, and the quiet magic of this moment- of Cloud’s steady gaze, Andrea leans in close. Forehead to forehead, nose against nose. Nothing between them but the gentle heat of their breath.</p><p>“Can I kiss you?” Andrea asks, voice a low whisper. Cloud’s already tilting his head, catching Andrea’s lips even as he nods. The music crescendos again, but it’s nothing compared to the rush of gentle fire that scorches through Andrea’s veins. He hums low in his chest, pulling Cloud closer to him. Kissing him slow and deep.</p><p>Cloud shifts in his arms a little and Andrea eases up, not wanting him to feel trapped. But all Cloud does is turn to face him properly, hands falling to rest against Andrea’s chest. Twin points of heat in the night-time chill.</p><p>Andrea pulls back a little, reaching up a hand to brush at Cloud’s hair. Smiling soft when Cloud makes a wordless questioning noise into the space between them. Andrea takes a step back, wanting to see him properly.</p><p>“You know I-!”</p><p>Andrea’s foot catches on the edge of the short bench. A brief flicker of panic, because he hadn’t been paying attention to where they were. So close to the edge. He’s unsteady enough from the wine and the dancing that it sends him tipping back.</p><p>“Watch it!”</p><p>Cloud catches him almost before Andrea realizes he’s falling. Hands against his waist, holding him in a sketch of a dip. Andrea chuckles, the brief rush of adrenaline making him lightheaded.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>“You should sit down a while.” Cloud sighs, carefully easing Andrea down to the ground. Making sure he’s settled before he lets go. Andrea smiles up at him, patting the space beside him. Cloud rolls his eyes and joins him. Sitting with one leg outstretched, the other raised, forearm braced on his knee. Leaving him angled towards Andrea.</p><p>Cloud tilts his head back, gazing up towards the star littered sky and Andrea’s breath catches in his chest. Heart hovering in the base of his throat.</p><p>He has moments, sometimes, when he looks at Cloud and it’s like seeing him for the first time all over again. The thunder in Andrea’s blood, racing through his heart. The slow, hyper focus of his mind. Moments where he’s reminded of a few of the many reasons why Cloud caught his eye in the first place.</p><p>Tonight seems like a particularly special one.</p><p>He can see the stars in Cloud’s eyes. Like they’re pieces of the night sky above them. His pale hair dyed silver-white from the high moon above. The angles of his face soft with gentle shadows and distant, cool light.</p><p>For once he looks genuinely at peace. Something like a smile hovering in his expression. Bright in his eyes.</p><p>“Oh…”</p><p>Cloud blinks and turns to him. Actual concern in the lines of his face. “What’s wrong? You gonna be sick?”</p><p>“No. I just…” Andrea shakes his head, heart in his throat. Letting out a quiet breath that borders on disbelief. “You’re so beautiful.”</p><p><em> Surely it has to stop </em> . Andrea thinks even as his heart pounds quietly, watching that familiar uncertain surprise flicker over Cloud’s face. <em> Surely you stop falling eventually </em>.</p><p>Because he’s lost track now, how many times he’s fallen a little deeper in love with the man at his side.</p><p>“I mean it.” He says, even as Cloud’s gaze drops from his. Andrea catches that embarrassed tilt to his mouth.</p><p>“Whatever you say.” Cloud rolls his bright eyes and looks back up to the sky. Andrea let’s him be. Content to admire him. Content that Cloud’s words aren’t actually a denial this time. Content just to be in this moment with him.</p><p>Who’d have ever thought Andrea Rhodea of all people would get to experience something like this?</p><p>“Cloud...?”</p><p>“Hmm?” Cloud hums, a little distant. But warm.</p><p>“I’m glad I met you. Again, of course. But...” Andrea turns, turning his gaze towards the distant spectre of the dead city on the horizon. “Back in Midgar, too.”</p><p>Cloud’s quiet for a time. Andrea doesn’t push him. There’s nothing bad about this quiet after all. It’s just...</p><p>Peaceful.</p><p>Edge is quiet this late, in a way that Midgar never was. Especially not Wall Market. It’s one of the first things that really caught Andrea’s attention when he’d moved here. The quiet. At first it’d taken him weeks to get used to it. Finding it hard to sleep without the low ambience of the Inn. The presence of others. He’d gotten used to it of course. But there’s always a part of him that longs to have others around. Even just proximity to them is enough to quiet something in his soul.</p><p>There’s a touch to his shoulder and Andrea pulls himself from his musings. Glances down to see Cloud’s hand resting against his upper arm. Just a hint of a press. Little more than a suggestion. Andrea glances at Cloud, finding the other watching him. One of those quietly intent expressions in his eyes. The light in those eyes is bright though. Genuine. Cloud tilts his head. Another silent suggestion.</p><p>Andrea smiles and takes it. Letting himself sink into the gentle warmth of Cloud’s side, head resting against the lean shoulder. Cloud’s grip on him tightens a little. Andrea sighs. Content. Happy, even. Nestling closer when he feels Cloud’s head rest gently against his. Nothing but them, the stars and the quiet ambience of music and the world around them.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t remember drifting off.</p><p>Doesn’t remember Cloud trying gently to wake him.</p><p>Doesn’t remember Cloud carefully picking him up, cradling him against his chest.</p><p>Doesn’t remember Cloud carrying him back into his apartment, laying him on his bed.</p><p>Doesn’t remember Cloud tucking the blankets up around his shoulders.</p><p>Doesn’t remember Cloud touching the rose behind his ear.</p><p>Doesn’t remember Cloud brushing his lips against his forehead.</p><p>But Andrea knows he’ll never forget waking in the morning, warm and safe. Never forget the evening they spent dancing beneath the stars. Never forget opening his eyes, smile already on his face.</p><p>Treasuring that moment. Tucking it away safe deep within his head and in his heart…</p><p> </p><p>...before his hangover hits him right between the eyes with the force of a battering ram.</p><p>“Worth it.” Andrea groans to himself, stumbling to his feet to track down water, painkillers and hopefully get another hour’s worth of sleep. “Absolutely worth it.”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Andi's Tattoo: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/dd/40/30/dd4030137256cf07a076a647eb727006.jpg</p><p>Speaking of Andi- I made his birthday what would have been "National Honeybee Day" back in '97. Because obviously ;)</p><p>Song 1 Lullabies by Yuna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3baQwUrTxzE</p><p>Song 2 Your Song from Moulin Rouge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h9EM3MaFQI</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Impossibility</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hi Andi!” Marlene greets him with a wave from where she’s sitting on the steps outside Seventh Heaven. Andrea smiles.</p><p>“Good evening, dear. How are you?”</p><p>“Good.” She replies, setting down the brush she’s working through her doll’s hair and looking up at him properly. “Cloud’s not home.”</p><p>Andrea laughs, placing his hands on his hips. “He’s not the <em> only </em> reason I come by.” He teases, waggling a finger at her. Pleased when Marlene giggles in response.</p><p>“I know. But you look happier when Cloud’s around.”</p><p>“Is that right?” He can practically hear Claude in the back of his head. <em> Told you- So. Fucked. </em> And alright, Andrea knows subtlety is not his forte by any stretch. But for a <em> child </em> to notice it too?</p><p>“Yep.” Marlene says simply, like she hasn’t just pulled the rug out from under his feet a little. Then she frowns, a serious expression on her young face. “Are you okay?”</p><p>Andrea blinks.“I’m sorry?”</p><p>“You look really tired.”</p><p>Andrea’s heart melts a little at the concern. “Ah. Just been busy with work. I’m alright.”</p><p>“Hmm.” Marlene doesn’t look convinced in the slightest. All at once Andrea is reminded that this girl lives with <em> Cloud </em> of all people. Is it any wonder she’s so good at noticing something ‘off’? Not that he’s lying of course. He has been ludicrously busy the past few weeks. Before the dear girl can continue her interrogation, she’s called off.</p><p>“Marlene? Can you come here a minute?” Tifa calls from inside.</p><p>“Coming!” Marlene says, climbing to her feet. Andrea follows her inside. Tifa’s behind the counter as usual. A few patrons scattered here and there throughout Seventh Heaven.The largest group is a party of three tucked away in the booth closest to the door.  A quiet night, which Andrea can say he’s grateful for. Marlene vanishes upstairs and Tifa smiles when she turns to see him.</p><p>“Hey Andi. Good to see you.”</p><p>Andrea returns Tifa’s wave as he parks himself at the corner of the  bar. “Evening Tifa.”</p><p>There’s a kind of sympathetic tilt to her sunny smile as she looks at him. “You look like you could use a drink. Big time. What’ll it be?”</p><p>“House special? It was divine the other night.” Plus Andrea really doesn’t want to have to <em> think </em> at the moment. Tifa seems to recognize that and chuckles.</p><p>“Coming right up.”</p><p>Andrea leans against the counter with a sigh, cheek in his hand as he looks around. He’s missed this place over the weeks. Something about Seventh Heaven’s general vibe that speaks to a quieter part of his soul. It’s a peace life’s been severely lacking the last while.</p><p>Tifa places his drink before him- along with a serving of the delightful spinach and artichoke dip that stole his heart the last time he was here. And something he definitely doesn’t remember ordering. Tifa meets his confusion with a wink.</p><p>“You need it.” Is all she says, before hurrying off to see to her other patrons. Something warm fills Andrea’s chest and he buries a smile in his glass. He picks his way through both things slowly, a little of the weariness easing from his bones.</p><p>There’s a distant rumble from outside and from above Andrea hears a flurry of footsteps overhead. Denzel appears in the doorway behind the bar  a minute later.</p><p>“Cloud’s back!”</p><p>Tifa doesn’t so much as glance back at him as he darts through the divide.</p><p>“You done your homework?” She calls as he runs across the room towards the door.</p><p>“Yeah!” Denzel shouts back as he disappears outside. Tifa sighs, shaking her head. Her eyes give her away though. Bright and fond and filled with a happy relief. A common thing in this house, he’s come to find.</p><p>Andrea polishes off the rest of his meal, turning in his seat to watch as Cloud comes up the steps. Nudging Denzel through the door as he pushes it open. His expression soft and open as he listens to the boy babbling away at his side. He’s clearly just back from a job, given his attire. The wolf at his shoulder and his ear, glinting in the warm light.</p><p>Andrea’s heart does backflips in his chest when Cloud glances up and spots him. Surprise flickering into one of his shadowy smiles. He offers Andrea a wave before Deznel steals his attention again.</p><p>“Go grab it and you can show me.” Cloud says, something amused in his quiet voice as Denzel immediately darts off again. His shoulders slump a little as he sighs through his nose, perching on the edge of the stool closest to the divide. His bright eyes flicker over to Andrea again. “Hey.”</p><p>“Hello to you too.” Andrea says, not bothering to hide his joy at seeing the other. Or the way his eyes track over every inch of Cloud’s lean frame. Checking him over, but also just plain checking him out. But really, who can blame him? Cloud turns heads wherever he goes. It’s almost a pity he’s so oblivious to it.</p><p>“Welcome back.” Tifa says, passing Cloud a <em> Cosmo Canyon </em> as well. He takes it with a small smile.</p><p>“Thanks. How’ve things been here?”</p><p>“Good.” Tifa hovers for a moment. Her gaze flickering to the last of her  patrons tucked away in the corner by the door. Laughing and drinking as they’ve been since Andrea’d gotten here. She leans forward on the counter, crowding into Cloud’s space. Her voice is very quiet as she speaks. “...What’d Rufus want?”</p><p>The name pricks something in the back of Andrea’s mind, but he can’t place it. And Cloud’s dark expression only tugs at the unease that settles in his gut.</p><p>“What he always does.” Cloud says, something strained in his voice. He’s not looking at Tifa as he says it, eyes distant as he sips his drink.</p><p>Tifa bites the edge of her lip, her vermilion eyes worried as she looks at him. “Are you gonna do it?”</p><p>“Don’t know yet.”</p><p>Tifa reaches out and rests a hand against Cloud’s forearm. His eyes flicker to hers and something passes between them. A moment. A message. Something Andrea’s seen a few times, but it always prickles at his nerves. Whatever it is, Cloud’s face softens.</p><p>“I know.” He says and Tifa pulls back, something relieved in the light of her eyes. Denzel appears at Cloud’s side again a moment later. Thrusting a small bundle of papers at the man before clambering up on the stool to his left. Tifa slips out to go give her customers their bill. Andrea glances at the time and winces when he realizes it’s gotten so late.</p><p><em> Not enough hours in the day </em>. He thinks, eyeing his schedule as he finishes what’s left of his drink.</p><p>He doesn’t even realize he’s drifted until he blinks and realizes from the time on his phone that nearly ten minutes have gone by. There’s a shadow at the corner of his vision and he blinks, glancing over to see Cloud hovering beside him. A furrow between his eyes. Denzel’s nowhere to be seen. He must’ve joined Marlene upstairs.</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, touched as he always is by the apparent concern. “Yes. I just need to be getting back. Long day tomorrow.”</p><p>Cloud nods, considering frown shadowing his face.</p><p>“I’ll take you home.”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea lifts his head. Blinking as what Cloud just said registers. Quickly he shakes his head. “Oh, no. That’s not necessary.”</p><p>“I just gotta take care of the kids. Sit tight.”</p><p>“Cloud, really it’s-”</p><p>Cloud’s not listening. He pushes himself upright, pitching his voice. “Denzel. Marlene. Hurry up or no story tonight.”</p><p>There’s muffled yelps from upstairs.</p><p>“So mean.” Tifa teases and Cloud just shrugs.</p><p>“All bets are off at bedtime. Isn’t that what you told me?”</p><p>“True.” Tifa chuckles, “You wanna hand?”</p><p>“Nah. I got this.”</p><p>Cloud slips through the divide, the creak of his footsteps fading away quickly. Andrea watches him go, helpless. A hand lights on his arm and Andrea looks over to see Tifa watching him.</p><p>“Are you okay, Andi? Really?”</p><p>“Yes of course.” Andrea musters a smile, “I’ve just been extremely busy. We’re only three days out from our spring-time production after all. No rest for the wicked I’m afraid.”</p><p>“I’m so excited to come see it. The kids are too.” Her hand squeezes against his arm for a moment before she pulls back. “But please make sure you take care of yourself.”</p><p>“...I will.” Andrea says, something more genuine melting over his expression. It’s a funny feeling, being worried over again. From so many different souls at that. Cloud isn’t gone for long. Just enough time for Andrea to finish his drink and hover on the edge of drifting off at the counter. But the sound of his feet on the stairs is enough to rouse Andrea again so he’s not slumped over when the man appears.</p><p>“You mind if I take the truck?” Cloud asks, glancing at Tifa.</p><p>Tifa shakes her head and tosses him a set of silver keys from a jar on the back counter. Cloud catches them as he pushes open the divider, motioning for Andrea to follow him. The dancer does, bidding Tifa a good night.</p><p>Cloud leads them around the side of Seventh Heaven, to an alleyway where a teal colored truck sits. He opens the door for Andrea despite his protests before clambering up into the driver's seat. The drive’s quiet, punctuated only by Andrea trying and failing to hide his yawns and quiet radio music. When they pull up in front of his apartment, Andrea’s barely gotten his seat belt off before Cloud’s appearing at his door again and offering him a hand out. Andrea accepts the hand if only in a bid to kill some of the worry he can see in that pretty face. But when Cloud follows him inside and strips off his boots, Andrea stops.</p><p>“Cloud. Seriously, I’m fine.”</p><p>“Mmm hmm.” Cloud hums, sounding supremely unimpressed. Pressing a hand to Andrea’s back and basically pushing him through the living room to the bedroom. “And when’s the last time you slept?”</p><p>“Last night.”</p><p>“Sure. For like an hour right?” Andrea can’t even find it in him to argue as Cloud gives him a little push right to the edge of the bed. Partly because Cloud’s right. But also partly because he’s got no idea what’s happening. He hasn’t been thinking clearly for days. Cloud glances back over his shoulder as he heads for Andrea’s dresser. “I’ve been there. I know the signs. Sit down.”</p><p>Andrea sits. Takes the clothes Cloud offers him barely a minute later- pyjamas. Practical and warm. And watches as the blond slips back out of his room, with a quiet “Back in a minute.” shutting the door enough to offer him privacy.</p><p>When Cloud comes back Andrea’s changed and leaning back against his headboard. Cloud nods, almost in approval and holds out a mug of something that smells delicious.</p><p>“What’s this?” He asks, eyeing what looks like milk, with a smattering of dark flecks. It smells amazing. Vanilla with a hint of...cinnamon?</p><p>“Lockhart family secret.” Cloud says with a shrug, “Tifa’s words- not mine. Drink.”</p><p>Again, Andrea listens. It’s delicious. And warm. Sinking down into his weary soul like settling into a bath. As it does Andrea sinks a little further into the bed. Drifting down and down until he’s practically asleep as Cloud plucks the empty cup from his fingers and places it on the bedside table.</p><p>As he goes to rise, Andrea finds it in himself to catch Cloud’s wrist.</p><p>“Aww. What? No goodnight kiss?” Andrea’s very proud that he doesn’t slur his words in exhaustion. Smile dopey when Cloud sighs, arching a brow.</p><p>“Promise to sleep after?”</p><p>Delight washes through Andrea. A sweet compliment to the drink. “Like a babe in their cradle.”</p><p>Cloud rolls his eyes but settles back on the bed beside him. Shifting to rest a hand on the bed by Andrea’s shoulder. Andrea has half a moment to appreciate those beautiful eyes gazing into his before they vanish as Cloud dips to press their lips together. Andrea all but melts at the contact. Gentle and warm. He revels in it. Reaching up a hand to brush Cloud’s jaw.</p><p>“Missed you.” Andrea breathes into his mouth. And god, is it true. The void of this man at his side the last few weeks has been...unpleasant. Especially on top of all the stress at work. Cloud hums, but Andrea can hear the quiet agreement in the noise. He smiles and pulls Cloud closer, hand shifting to the back of his neck. Catches his lips again.</p><p>Cloud settles a little further over him, the gentle pressure of his body against Andrea’s stirs something in him. A low banked fire sparking. Rising higher as Cloud’s lips part against his, letting Andrea lick slowly into his mouth. Catching the groan and the shiver that runs through Cloud’s spine. The echo of it resonating in his soul. Andrea shifts, hand tightening against the back of Cloud’s neck. The quiet sound that Cloud makes hits Andrea low in his gut. They part with a gasp, though Cloud doesn’t try to go far.</p><p>“You need sleep...” Cloud says, voice a low, rough whisper against Andrea’s lips.</p><p><em> But I want you more </em>. Andrea thinks, even as he forces himself to let Cloud go. Let him sit up properly, the distance all at once making it easier to breath and painful to do so. Something in him aching at the loss of warmth. He pulls on something like a smile,</p><p>“And you need to get home.” Andrea says, swallowing thickly. Trying to wrangle his breathing back under control. He catches one of Cloud’s hands, not entirely ready to lose him yet. “Will you be there Saturday night?”</p><p>Cloud’s bright eyes narrow, a hit of a smile flickering in their depths. “Count on it.”</p><p>“Then I’ll see you then.” Andrea says, smiling despite the ache in him. He squeezes Cloud’s hand tight then lets him go.</p><p>“Yeah.” Cloud gets to his feet. Something in Andrea purring when he seems a little unsteady. “’Night.”</p><p>“Good night, Cloud. And thank you.”</p><p>“Anytime.” Cloud pauses in the doorway, looking back. He hovers, something lingering in the air between them before Cloud seems to shake himself out of the moment. “Get some sleep.”</p><p>Andrea waits until he hears the front door click shut before he buries his face in his hands. Muffling a long, low groan.</p><p>“<em> Fuuuuck </em>.”</p><p>God he’s in deep. So deep. Too deep, frankly. He hasn’t gotten hard from a kiss since he was a boy for fuck sake. He wonders if there’s even a slight chance Cloud hadn’t noticed. Of course thinking of Cloud in any capacity does not help his problem what-so-ever.</p><p>“One step at time Andi.” Andrea tells himself, massaging his forehead and sighing. Thinking valiantly of anything except unreasonably pretty, heartbreakingly sweet blond’s with eyes he would willingly drown in. “We do this one step at a time.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The next few days fly past. With a speed that even Andrea can barely keep up with. One moment he’s stumbling out of bed after having almost slept in, then the next he’s helping sound check the venue and the next he’s helping usher a herd of shouting, excited children out of the greenroom so they don’t miss their cue.</p><p>He finds Laurem hovering in the wings, eyes nervous. That’s right, her class- his by virtue- is the second performance tonight. And he can tell she’s still fretting about her solo. He approaches her carefully, resting a hand on her shoulder. She flinches and glances at him for a moment. He meets her with a smile.</p><p>“Do you really think I can do this?” She asks, fidgeting with the draping waves of her costume. Andrea dips his head to catch her eye again.</p><p>“You absolutely can. And you’re going to be brilliant. Everything else is just details.”</p><p>Laruem takes a deep breath and nods. Something a little calmer settling in her eyes. She even gives a smile. Small and shaky though it is. “...Thanks Andi.”</p><p>Andrea excuses himself, slipping up to the front to peek out at the audience from the edge of the curtains. It’s a good turn out. Surprisingly so in fact. A familiar thrill trips through his blood. A rush of anticipation. He tucks the feeling away and turns his attention out. Looking for the familiar faces he knows are out there. It takes a moment, but then he spots Marlene’s telltale bow. She, Denzel and Tifa are seated fairly close to the front, in the west block of seats not far from him. Marlene’s watching the stage while Denzel and Tifa talk.</p><p>Cloud isn’t with them.</p><p>Habitually he scans the crowd again. But the other man is nowhere to be seen. Something unseats itself deep in his chest. Settling like chains around his lungs for a heartbeat before Andrea reels himself back in.</p><p>It’s fine. Something probably came up. But nothing dire if the other three are here. So Cloud’s fine. He’s likely just busy. And it’s not like there won’t be other nights. Other dances. Hell, Andrea treasures the one they shared on his rooftop far more than anything</p><p>But he can’t lie to himself and say that it doesn’t sting.</p><p>He doesn’t have long to linger in his hurt though. Attention immediately pulled in about a hundred different directions as the lights dim, Narisa takes the stage and the chaos erupts around him. The next hour passes in a blur of voices, panic and applause.</p><p>Claude’s tracking him down before Andrea even realizes what time it is. Touching up his makeup, fiddling with his costume and practically shoving him out of the wing to step out on stage.</p><p>It’s a little like coming home, stepping out into that spotlight again.</p><p>There’s dozens of people in the audience. The familiarity of all those eyes on him is a high Andrea’s lived well over half his life on. But tonight, there’s only one pair that he truly cares about.</p><p>And he spots them.</p><p>Close to the door, tucked back against the wall near the corner. Vibrant in the darkness.</p><p>Cloud’s here.</p><p><em> He’s here. He’s safe. </em> That familiar mantra echoes inside Andrea’s very soul, alongside the quiet swell of joy. <em> He kept his word </em>.</p><p>Everything else just...</p><p>Fades.</p><p>He sinks into his routine, swept away in a swell of music and emotion. Let everything that’s been building up wash away as he commits himself fully to the routine. An easy thing to do with the weight of those lovely eyes on him. He only comes out of his focused haze when the rhythm of music is replaced by the roar of the crowd.</p><p>He thinks, maybe, he sees Cloud smiling as he gets to his feet and bows to the audience.</p><p><br/>
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</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Rhodea.”</p><p>Narisa’s voice stops Andrea in his tracks. He has to fight to keep the sigh from his voice as he turns back.“Director?”</p><p>Narisa’s watching him, grey eyes bright even in the shadows of the stage. There’s something off about her usual chilly expression.</p><p>“...Well done. Tonight was a smashing success.” Narisa never smiles- especially not at him. But there’s something quietly at ease about her voice as she jerks her sharp chin towards the exit. “Take a few days. You’ve earned them.”</p><p>Andrea doesn’t need thanks or praise. He’s damn good at what he does and he knows it. Just like he knows tonight wouldn’t have happened- not near so smoothly- without his expertise. But still, it’d be a lie to say being recognized isn’t nice. Especially by someone who’s doubted him near every step of the way. He takes the olive branch she’s clearly extending.</p><p>“Thank you. I believe I will.” Andrea even manages something like a genuine smile. “Have a pleasant evening, Narisa.”</p><p>She spins away and waves him off without another word. Fair enough. It is only a truce after all. And besides, he has people to find.</p><p>Marlene spots him first from her place perched on Cloud’s back. Andrea laughs as she digs her little heels into Cloud’s ribs, like he’s some poor pack Chocobo. The blond barely winces though, turning to look as Marlene points towards Andrea.</p><p>“You were <em> amazing </em>!” Marlene squeals as soon as Andrea’s within reasonable distance. Andrea grins,</p><p>“Thank you very much. I’m glad you enjoyed the show.”</p><p>“Thank you for inviting us. The whole thing was absolutely wonderful.” Tifa says, even giving him a brief hug. Andrea accepts it gladly.</p><p>“I’m so glad you all could make it.” He says, trying not to look too pointedly at Cloud. He had his reasons for being late, Andrea’s sure.</p><p>Denzel and Marlene both drag Andrea a flurry of questions and excitement about a few of the performances and Andrea indulges them both before Cloud cuts in quietly.</p><p>“Alright you two. Let him breathe.”</p><p>Cloud and Tifa share one of their Looks. A dozen things pass between them in the span of a heartbeat. Then Tifa nods, smiling and reaches out to rest a hand on Denzel’s shoulder.</p><p>“Come on kids. You remember the deal. It’s time we got back home.”</p><p>“Awww.” Andrea can’t help laughing at the obvious disappointment in both their voices. Cloud kneels to carefully let Marlene slide from his back. Both she and Denzel give Cloud a quick hug before they hurry to Tifa’s side.</p><p>“See you when you get home.” Tifa says with a smile as Cloud gets back to his feet. The blond nods, and the small family disappears into the crowd. The remaining pair shuffle a little out of the way as more people- performers and their loved ones, stream by.</p><p>“Do you have a minute?” Cloud asks, hands tucked away in his pockets. Andrea smiles, bright but soft.</p><p>He’s missed him terribly these past busy weeks. And frankly, right now there’s now where he’d rather be than at Cloud’s side.</p><p>“Absolutely.”</p><p>The two of them manage to escape the horde of people, only getting stopped about a dozen times by people coming to congratulate Andrea on his work. Edge is practically silent compared to the cacophony going on inside. They cut across the street, heading quite a ways down the street before Andrea spots Fenrir’s familiar bulk. He notes the little attachment hooked to the back of the seat.</p><p>“Ooh is it a surprise? I love surprises.” Andrea coos, chuckling when Cloud just hums vaguely. He hangs back on the edge of the sidewalk as Cloud heads for his bike, fusing with the extra compartment. Andrea recognizes it now as the one he uses to transport fragile goods and such.</p><p><em> Interesting </em>. He thinks, curiosity well piqued.</p><p>The night air’s a little chilly for his attire. Andrea folds his arms over his chest to converse warmth, attention drifting up to the starry skies above. It’s a beautiful night. Only a few wispy clouds blocking the sky here and there.</p><p>There’s a thump and a click ahead of him and Andrea looks down as Cloud turns, a flash of vibrant color in his hand as he holds it out to Andrea.</p><p>“Here.”</p><p>Everything around him sublimates into nothing but watercolor static, save the deep red blossom hovering in the air before him. He knows exactly what he’s looking at, even if he has no idea <em> how. </em></p><p>The tightly wound petals. The rich hue. The dark green stem with it’s pale tipped thorns.</p><p>It’s...</p><p>It’s a rose.</p><p>A <em> real </em> one. He can smell the deep, heady scent it’s giving off even from here. The smell throws him back decades. His mother used to wear a splattering of it on her wrists. Something manufactured in Midgar and given to her by one of her longest and oldest admirers years before Andrea was born. She hoarded the little bottle like it was worth the world in gil.</p><p>He realizes now the imitation had been a poor one.</p><p>Andrea feels almost numb. Hands dropping to hang limp by his sides.</p><p>“I...w-what...?”</p><p>“It’s for you.” Cloud says simply. Apparently entirely unconcerned with the fact that this moment is impossible. That what he’s holding <em> doesn’t exist </em>anymore. He takes a step closer, arm stretching out a little further. Andrea reaches back almost on instinct. Taking the flower in hand with a tremble. Pulling it close. Like proximity will make it somehow more real. Make this impossible moment make sense.</p><p>Andrea brushes the velvet petals with one fingertip. Something inside him threatening to shake loose. Forces himself to meet Cloud’s eyes as something in him twists.</p><p>“<em> Where </em> on Gaia did you...”</p><p>“I asked around.” Cloud says with a careless shrug. Like he hasn’t just handed Andrea what has to be one of the rarest and most beautiful things in the world. There’s something like an apology in his eyes when he meets Andrea’s. “Sorry I was late. It was kinda a long trip and I-”</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea has absolutely no idea what he’s feeling at the moment. Only that it’s <em> overwhelming </em>. Burning and making every inch of him tingle. One clear thought in his head. He sets the rose on Fenrir’s hood with hands that shake. “I need to kiss you.”</p><p>“Uh. S-sure-?”</p><p>The word’s barely out of Cloud’s mouth before Andrea is on him. Hands burying themselves deep into Cloud’s soft hair. Clutching it and using that grip to pull him in. Hold him close as Andrea crushes their lips together. Cloud stumbles back, catching himself on Fenrir as Andrea practically plasters himself to the man’s front. Feasts on the surprised grunt the other makes.</p><p>Cloud curses into the air between them, breathless and low as Andrea pulls away only to tilt his head and kiss him even deeper. Tasting him, savouring the sweet, damp heat of his mouth like a starving man. Groaning as he feels the warmth of Cloud’s hands against his waist. Shuddering when Cloud <em> lets </em> him press closer. Deeper. Kiss him hard enough Andrea’s mouth and lungs ache.</p><p><em> It’s not enough. It’s not </em> <b> <em>enough</em> </b>-</p><p>Andrea practically rips one hand away from Cloud’s head. Forcing it between them. Laying it on Cloud’s chest. Right above his heart which pounds against Andrea’s palm. Pushing and pushing like he can sink inside. Because it’s the only way he can think to make Cloud understand. To make him see. To make him hear the words Andrea doesn’t know how to give a voice to. It’s impossible-</p><p><em> Not enough. Never enough. Too much </em>-</p><p>Andrea breaks away with a desperate little nose he’s not too proud to call whine. Bordering on a sob. Cloud’s eyes snap open,</p><p>“H-hey-” Cloud’s fingers brush against Andrea’s cheek and he realizes he’s crying. Those blue-green eyes wide with concern. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You’re perfect. More than- oh my <em> god </em> -” Andrea’s voice cracks off into nothing as he sobs. Wonder and incredulous joy and fear and everything. Everything all at once near strangling him. “You gave me a <em> rose </em>.”</p><p>“Oh.” Cloud’s hold on him shifts. Hands moving to cradle his jaw. Gentle. So impossibly gentle. A tiny furrow between his bright eyes. “So...this is a. A ’good’ cry?”</p><p>“<em> Yes </em>.” Andrea manages to choke out. Cloud seems to calm a little at least, though he still looks uncertain as he nods. He wipes at the tears on Andrea’s cheeks again. Touch so soft it threatens to undo Andrea all over again.</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>Andrea clutches at Cloud’s wrists just for something to hold onto in the storm of his overflowing emotions. Holding Cloud tight, feeling the beat of his pulse beneath his fingers. Using it to try and get himself back under some semblance of control. He lets out a long, shuddering breath when his heart no longer feels like it’s trying to break out of his chest. Opens his eyes to meet Cloud’s. Sees that quiet concern still hovering in them.</p><p>By the Planet herself, what is Andrea ever going to do with one...?</p><p>“You never, ever, stop surprising me, Cloud Strife. You know that?” His voice sounds horrible and wet and still filled with so much it shakes. Andrea can’t bring himself to give a damn. Because this impossible moment- this impossible, beautiful man- is <em> worth it. </em></p><p>Cloud’s expression flickers. Something a little crooked tugging at the right side of his mouth.</p><p>“And that’s...good, right?”</p><p>Andrea laughs, even as he catches Cloud’s lips again. Gentler this time, but just as deep.</p><p>“It’s perfect.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. But Really-Actually-A-Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Content warning. There's a character who appears in the later part of this chapter who uses derogatory terms to Cloud. Ie: referring to him as 'it' a couple times. So if that's something that's gonna upset you, please read carefully after Andrea notices the guy engaging Cloud.  </p><p>Also; outfit references in the end notes :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“For the love of Holy. Will you please just ask the boy out on an <em> actual </em> date already?”</p><p>“Hmmm?” Andrea hums. Dragging his attention away from the rose for what has to be the dozenth time the past half hour.</p><p>“You’re making moon eyes at a <em> flower, </em> Andi. A very pretty flower, mind you, but still!” Claude marches over to the window and throws open one of the curtains. “If I have to sit here and watch you pine- <em> especially </em>when he’s right over there-” Claude gestures outside Andre glances over, realizing that Cloud must’ve pulled up while he was distracted. “I may do something drastic.”</p><p>“Don’t hurt yourself.” Andrea chuckles, getting to his feet. He doesn’t want to keep Cloud waiting after all.</p><p>“Oh. Wow.” Claude says, still by the window. He’s staring outside intently. “Andi?”</p><p>“Yes dear?”</p><p>“I take it all back. I forgot how cute he is. Like, actually. Not your doe-eyed daydreaming.” Claude almost sounds wistful as he sighs. “Oh my god, those eyes...”</p><p>Andrea laughs, bumping his shoulder. “Now <em> you’re </em>staring.”</p><p>“But Andiii...” His friend gestures, a plaintive whine in his voice. “<em> Look at him </em>.”</p><p>“I know. I do.” Andrea pats Claude’s back and laughs under his breath. “And I know that look. You just want to make-up his face again.”</p><p>“...Do you think he’d let me?”</p><p>“Goodbye Claude. Don’t forget to lock up.”</p><p>“I’m serious- will you ask? Those cheekbones deserve contour.” Andrea just flutters his fingers over his shoulder. Doesn’t need to see Claude’s face to catch the pout. “So unfair.”</p><p>Andrea steps out of his apartment and hurries over to where Cloud’s waiting, lounging back against Fenrir, phone in hand. But as ever he proves damn near impossible to sneak up on. He looks up at Andrea before he’s even hit the sidewalk. Still, just seeing him again- especially after last night- puts a smile on Andrea’s face. Something softer than usual.</p><p>“Hello lovely.”</p><p>Cloud tucks his phone away and stands up straight. It’s still something strange, to see Cloud in casual attire. Today’s a pair of dark wash jeans and a heather grey t-shirt.</p><p>One day, Andrea decides, he’s going to get this man in color. Technicolor even to make up for all these wasted years of potential.</p><p>“Ready to go?”</p><p>“You know it. Spirit me away from this place.”</p><p>“You want a helmet?”</p><p>“I trust you.” Andrea says, smiling. Besides, it’s not like they’re leaving the city. Cloud nods, slinging a leg over the seat and settling in as he motions for Andrea to follow suit. Pointing out the best place to rest his feet and the handholds running along the back.</p><p>“Or you can hold onto me if you need to.” Cloud says with a shrug, far too casually. Andrea grins.</p><p>“Oh dear. What a conundrum. How ever will I decide?”</p><p>Fenrir’s engine revs beneath them and Andrea gasps, hands flying almost instinctively to clutch Cloud’s sides. One bright blue-green eyes peaks back at him, something like a smile in its depths.</p><p>“Just hold on, would you?”</p><p>Andrea blinks, surprise melting down into quiet, grinning delight. He scoots forward on the seat, arms sliding around Cloud’s thin waist as Andrea presses to his back. Nary a space between them.</p><p>“Yes sir.” He purrs, resting his chin on Cloud’s shoulder. Because of his proximity he feels Cloud huff, something amused in his face. But all he does is roll his pretty eyes, back out onto the street and head off downtown. Andrea hangs on tight and enjoys the ride, unable to wipe the smile from his face.</p><p>“Any idea what we’re looking for?” He asks, as Cloud weaves through the light morning traffic with ease.</p><p>“Not really. Figure if we ask around, we’ll find something eventually.”</p><p>“Ah, sounds like an adventure. How fun.”</p><p>Cloud hums absently and Andrea chuckles. Alright, fair enough. Here’s a man who’s literally travelled to every corner of Planet. Probably multiple times now. A day spent tromping through a few scattered shops looking for information is nothing at all.</p><p>But Cloud was the one to suggest it, Andrea reminds himself. Just another in the list of surprises from last night.</p><p><br/>
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</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Bringing the rose up once again, Andrea inhales the rich scent again. Slow and deep letting it sink into his lungs. He’s calmer now, but there’s still something a touch surreal hovering in the air. </em>
</p><p>“<em> I want to learn how to take care of it.” He says, the first real clear thought he can put to words. “Properly.” </em></p><p>“<em> Your guess is as good as mine.” Andrea chuckles, tracing a finger against the tips of the petals. Cloud shifts beside him. “You free tomorrow?” </em></p><p>“<em> Actually yes. The director told me to take a few days to myself.” </em></p><p>“<em> You wanna head downtown then? Might be a book or something on it.” </em></p><p>
  <em> Andrea pauses, looking over to see Cloud watching him. That adorable, questioning tilt to his head. “With you?” </em>
</p><p>“<em> Don’t have any jobs for a few days.” Cloud shrugs. Deliberate. Casual. An offer on the table. </em></p><p>“<em> How fortuitous.” Andrea smiles. “If you’re offering, I have no reason to turn you down now do I?” </em></p><p>
  <em> Cloud glances back down the street, where there’s still people coming out of the building.“Do you need a lift back?” </em>
</p><p>“<em> No. I fear my time’s been bought and paid for this evening.” Andrea grins at Cloud’s slightly wary look. He stands up and jerks his head back towards the venue. “My students were very insistent we go out to celebrate. As were most of my coworkers.” </em></p><p>“<em> Okay.” </em></p><p>
  <em> A strange tension drops from Cloud’s shoulders as he nods, turning to climb onto Fenrir properly. Something plucks at the edge of Andrea’s heart. A little like regret. In truth he kind of wants to call off his whole night. Wants to spend it at Cloud’s side. Wants to try and find the words that he can’t seem to put a voice to. To explain why he’s still reeling in the back of his mind. </em>
</p><p>“<em> Cloud?” </em></p><p>“<em> Yeah?”The blond pauses from where he’s going to fix on his goggles, turning to look at him. </em></p><p>
  <em> Andrea reaches out with his free hand, curling it against Cloud’s jaw. Leaning in to brush their lips together. Feather soft compared to his earlier desperation. He breathes in, the heady scent of the rose mixing with the ever present chemical sharpness that hovers around Cloud. A dizzying, intoxicating combination. Andrea makes himself pull away before he can be pulled under again. Sweeping his thumb underneath Cloud’s eye. </em>
</p><p>“<em> Thank you.” He says with every ounce of sincerity he can muster. It’s worth it to see the flicker of a smile in Cloud’s eyes. </em></p><p>“<em> Have fun.” </em></p><p>“<em> Oh I think that’ll be unavoidable.” Andrea says, stepping back onto the sidewalk. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” </em></p><p>“<em> Let me know whenever you’re ready. I’ll swing by.” </em></p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>The first order of business, at least in Andrea’s mind, is to find a proper ‘home’ for it. So near as soon as they stop he drags Cloud into three of the  nearby ‘antique’ stores to look around. Ignoring the way Cloud immediately starts grumbling at him for it. He’s the one who set this whole thing up after all. He’ll just have to deal.</p><p>Cloud ends up lurking like an uncomfortable shadow near the front as Andrea wanders through the third, eyeing all the cluttered, pretty nick-nacks that line the shelves and walls.</p><p>A selection of multicolored glass vases catch Andrea’s eye almost immediately. Colors vibrant and shimmering in the sunlight streaming in through the front window. He heads over to them, drawn instinctively to the lovely blue and green shades scattered throughout.</p><p>“Cloud? Come here a minute?” He calls after eyeing two of them for a moment. The blond eases into the small space beside him.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Hold still, please.” Andrea says, scooping up a blue vase and holding it up beside Cloud’s face. Hmmm. No. Not quite right. The blue’s too light. Cloud frowns, eyes darting towards the glass, then back to Andrea’s face.</p><p>“...What the hell are you doing?”</p><p>“Comparing.” Andrea says, replacing the blue vase with the green. Ah. That was more like it. He returns the blue one to the shelf and smiles at Cloud “Thank you.”</p><p>He can’t help laughing at the absolutely bewildered expression on Cloud’s face as Andrea steps past him, setting the vase carefully into his basket. They wander through a few more of the aisles, Cloud trailing his steps in his vaguely uncomfortable way. But there’s nothing else that really catches Andrea’s eye. So they head back to the front of the shop so he can pay for his vase.</p><p>They head a few shops down, Andrea window browsing as they go. But before he can get too sidetracked, Cloud drags him inside one of the smaller stores. A bell sounds above their heads as they slip inside. There are dozens of books scattered across shelves and through bins. The air smells like dust and leather bound paper. The old woman behind the counter looks up at them.</p><p>“Well, well. Cloud Strife. Strange to see you in these parts these days.” She says, crackling voice full of humorous fondness. “Off on another trip?”</p><p>“Not today, Heleen.” Cloud shakes his head, stopping a little ways away from the counter. “Actually wondering if you had any books on flowers. How to take care of them and all.”</p><p>“Well, well. That <em> is </em> unusual- especially from you. Picking up something for little Marlene?” The older woman chuckles then frowns, tapping her pen against the desk before she climbs off her stool. “Let me check the back. Feel free to look through things here while you wait.”</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>Andrea drifts away to start scanning the shelves. Looking for what he’s after, but also just silently marvelling at the selection. Books like this had been such a rarity in Wall Market. He’d practically worn right through the covers of the few he’d ever managed to get his hands on. He sees Cloud checking along the far side. His touch and eye far more clinical than Andrea’s.</p><p>It sadly doesn’t take long for Andrea to get sidetracked. Attention snagged a few shelves in by a few novels in a series he remembers enjoying many years ago. He hadn’t even realized it was a series in truth. He plucks one from the shelves, scanning the summary with a distant kind of glee.</p><p>“Adventure stuff, huh?” Cloud says, coming up beside him. “Store hopping not fun enough for you?”</p><p>Andrea chuckles and raises an eyebrow at him, “Well, you could always tell me tales of your adventures. I’m sure they’re far more interesting than anything here.”</p><p>“Not really.” Cloud shrugs, eyeing one of the other books skeptically.</p><p>“Aww come now. You regal Denzel and Marlene with your stories but not me? I’m crushed.”</p><p>Cloud blinks and stares at him. “The hell do you- oh. Right.” The bond sighs, tucking the book back on the shelf. “Who says they’re my stories anyway?”</p><p>“Tifa.” Andrea says, side eyeing him with a grin.</p><p>“Traitor.” Cloud says, a touch of fondness to his grumble.</p><p>“Cloud dear? Come take a look.” Heleen reappears, a stack of about five different books in hand. She places them on the desk, waving Cloud over. “Not sure if this is what you’re after, but it’s what we have.”</p><p>“Appreciate it.” Cloud says, scooping one of them up and leafing through the pages.</p><p>“How’s that boy of yours doing?”</p><p>“He’s fine.” Cloud sets the book aside, picking up the next.</p><p>“Good to hear. For a few months there I was worried you were going to get <em> yourself </em> sick. Always scouring those old medical texts. What did he have anyway?”</p><p>“Not sure. But it cleared up. He’s a tough kid.” Cloud pauses about halfway through the third volume. “I think this one‘ll do. Andrea? You wanna take a look?”</p><p>With a sigh Andrea sets the book back on the shelf and hurries over, taking the book as Cloud holds it out to him. The book has to be at least sixty years old. Yellowed, crackling pages and the spine all but worn away. But it has just about all the information he could hope for. Including a section on preserving that’s fascinating and fills his head with all kinds of ideas.</p><p>“It's wonderful.” He says smiling at Cloud before dipping his head to the shopkeep. “Thank you very much for your time ma’am.”</p><p>“Oh hello dearie. You’re a new face.”</p><p>“Unfortunately so. I had no idea Edge had such a wonderful shop. I can guarantee I’ll be back.” Andrea grins and holds out a hand. “My name’s Andrea.”</p><p>Heleen shakes his hand and ushers the two of them off with a promise that they ‘won’t be strangers.’ They return to Fenrir, Cloud tucking away both the vase and book into the secure compartment.</p><p>“Anything else you need to do?” Cloud asks once everything’s put away. Andrea takes a moment.</p><p>“Well, technically no.” Andrea says, shrugging when Cloud looks back at him. “But I wouldn’t mind getting to wander a little more. Unless you need to get back of course.”</p><p>Something flickers in Cloud’s expression before he shakes his head. “I’m free for the whole day.”</p><p>A smile blossoms to life on Andrea’s face. A bright, perfect counterpart to the excitement that starts bubbling through his veins. “Shall we then?”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>By the time they pull back up to Andrea’s apartment, the sun’s beginning to set. They’d wandered and talked. Visited shops and perused various food stands. Andrea even convinced Cloud to take ‘the long way’ back home.</p><p>And through it all, he still can’t hide his pleased grin when Cloud follows him inside.</p><p>Soon as he’s kicked off his shoes, Andrea heads off to take care of his rose. Trimming the long stem a little and putting fresh water into its new home. It looks stunning in the pale green glass. <em> Good choice, </em> he thinks, mentally patting himself on the back. According to the book the stem would last roughly a week. He’ll have to start testing a few of the preservation techniques. Maybe Cloud knows where he could get his hands on a few more common flowers. He’s seen Marlene replace  the one they keep in Seventh Heaven after all.</p><p>Andrea carries the rose back out into the living room, setting it back in its  place on the table. Turning it a little this way and that till he’s happy with its position. Nodding to himself, pleased, Andrea glances over to where Cloud’s leaning against the wall by the window. Looking out to the streets below. His eyes bright in the growing shadows.</p><p>Cloud hasn’t expressed any interest or desire in leaving yet. And the night is still young.</p><p>...Maybe Claude’s right. Lovely as his precious rose is, Andrea’d much rather make ‘moon-eyes’ at Cloud.</p><p>Andrea steps up behind Cloud, reaching out to wrap his arms around his waist. Tugging him back, and resting his chin against Cloud’s shoulder. Two-toned eyes flicked towards him. He doesn’t even tense under the touch now. Used to Andrea’s ‘clingy-ness’ as the blond calls it. Andrea knows it’s a front. Can feel the way Cloud sinks a little into his embrace. Something about the fact Cloud can relax like this around him that makes Andrea’s chest warm.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Andrea smiles. Mindlessly tracing his thumb against the sharp bone of one of Cloud’s hips. “I was just thinking how lovely you are.” Unsurprisingly Cloud just rolls his eyes and looks away again. Andrea chuckles, low and quiet in his chest. Bad idea, if he’s trying to change Andrea’s mind. There are few things lovelier than Cloud’s profile after all. Andrea loves the lines and angles of his face. Soft yet defined. Loves the way his eyes shift color, from the angle and the dying light.</p><p>Desire threads itself through Andrea’ veins. A simmering heat. Andrea tucks his head against the side of Cloud’s neck. Closing his eyes and breathing him him, lips pressed to Cloud’s slow, even pulse.</p><p>“You going somewhere with this?” There’s a low, slightly rough note in Cloud’s voice.</p><p>Andrea smiles. Pulling back a bit and arching a brow at him. “Would you like me to?”</p><p>“I dunno. What’re you thinking?”</p><p>“Hmmm...well let’s see.” Andrea makes a bit of a show thinking it over. Even though the idea’s been buzzing around in his head all day. “I want to dress you up. Take you out for a night on the town. Bring you back. And hold you till the sun comes up.”</p><p>Cloud’s still in his hold. Not tense but certainly contemplative. Those bright eyes flicker back over to him. “...Seriously?”</p><p>“Completely.” Andrea replies with a smile.</p><p>“...What kind of ‘dress up’ are you talking about?”</p><p>Cloud skeptical tone makes Andrea laugh. But it’s tempered by the realization that Cloud isn’t complaining about the idea. About spending the night. Something shivers in his chest.</p><p>“Well, much as I’d love to put you into a gown again, I fear I don’t have that luxury these days.” Andrea gives Cloud’s waist another squeeze before stepping around to stand in front of him. “At least, not yet. Guess we’ll just have to settle on something else. What do you think?”</p><p>“I think I’m shitty with people.” Cloud sighs, side eyeing the window. Then he shrugs. “But sure. Let’s do it.”</p><p>“Really?” Andrea blinks, unable to keep the surprise from his voice.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Delight bursts, sun bright and warm through Andrea’s veins. Before he can stop himself he stoops down and kisses Cloud’s cheek. Grinning from the way Cloud starts and the dozens of thoughts beginning to buzz around his head.</p><p>“Oh I am going to have <em> so </em> much fun with you, beautiful. Come on.” Andrea reaches, takes hold on one of Cloud’s hands and tugs him towards the bedroom. Parking him in the centre as Andrea flies over to his closet. He already has a good idea of what he wants to put Cloud in. It’s the work of seconds to find the shirt he pictured.</p><p>“Seriously?” Cloud says as Andrea turns to hold it out. Andrea just grins and nods.</p><p>“Oh absolutely.” He presses it against Cloud’s chest and waves a hand at him. “Now scoot. I need to get myself together.”</p><p>Cloud sighs, looks at the ceiling and leaves. But not before Andrea tosses one more thing at him in a flash of insight. Cloud catches it without looking and closes the bedroom door behind him. Then he devotes himself fully to picking out his own outfit.</p><p>It’s surprisingly not as hard as he thought it’d be.</p><p>A sheer black top, with small, delicate floral designs etches across the chest and shoulders. A champagne gold, low cut tank top beneath it, shimmering in the faint light through the fabric. Colors calling back to his roots at the inn. Form fitted black slacks with a pair of sharp heels to match. He inspects himself critically in the mirror, turning this way and that before he grins. Cheekily he leaves the top two buttons undone, letting the neckline dip low on his chest. It feels like settling into his old skin again. In a good way.</p><p>He slips in a pair of gold, diamond shaped metal earrings for accent then steps out into the living room to see Cloud waiting, lounging back against the arm of the couch. He’s not looking towards Andrea, gaze turned towards the window as he talks on his phone.</p><p>Heat drops like a stone into Andrea’s gut. His step falters as he drinks in sight.</p><p>Purple is <em> definitely </em> Cloud’s color.</p><p>The dark violet silk of the dress shirt softens all his sharp angles. Cloud’s rolled the sleeves neatly back to sit in the crook of his elbows, just showcasing how brilliant the contrast is against his skin tone and bright hair. The subtle paisley patterns only emphasize it further. The shirt itself is a little big on him, which is why Andrea’d tossed him the black, close fitted waistcoat as he’d walked out. It hugs the lean curves of his waist. The effect enough to tease out the memory of the corset Andrea’d put him in all those years ago.</p><p>“My god...” Andrea breathes. He envisioned the look as he’d handed Cloud the pieces. But to actually <em> see </em> it on him? The dancer swallows against his suddenly dry mouth. The heat inside him curls, rumbling like a thunderstorm. He lifts a hand to his chin, stroking a finger along his lower lip as he stares.</p><p>“Yeah. So don’t...” Whatever Cloud’s been saying trails off as he turns, those impossibly bright eyes landing on Andrea. Several things pass across his face, almost too fast to follow. He seems to settle on something like shock. Blinking a few times, lips parting just so. Andrea can feel the weight of his stare like a physical thing. Like a caress as they flicker down his body before returning to his.</p><p>There’s a spark in those eyes. Low, but bright. Familiar.</p><p>“H-huh?” Cloud jerks his attention away. Turning back to whatever conversation he’d been having. “Oh, uh. No. It’s fine. I gotta. Go. Later.”</p><p><em> Oh </em>. Andrea thinks, spying that faint touch of color at the edge of Cloud’s ears as he hangs up, tucking the phone away again. He glances at Andrea one more, shoulders tense.</p><p>“S-sorry.” Cloud stutters, tucking at one of his long strands of hair as he gets to his feet. Andrea crosses the scant space between them. Reaching out to catch Cloud’s bowed chin on the side of his finger, gently pulling Cloud’s attention back to his. The sweet boy can’t meet his eye for more than a moment at the time.</p><p>“I don’t mind you looking.” Andrea says, unable to keep the slight rumble from his voice. Unable to tear his own focus away from how absolutely gorgeous the man before him is. “It’s flattering.”</p><p>Andrea thinks it’s only fair after all. He certainly can’t help the way he’s staring. Cloud somehow all the more entrancing this close. He blames the flush of color hovering in Cloud’s face. The complement of his eyes to the violet silk. Especially when Cloud finds it in him to actually meet Andrea’s eye again.</p><p>“Look at you...” Andrea breathes. Unconscious and breathy. Filled with molten fire. He can see- <em> feel- </em>Cloud swallow.</p><p><em> Shit </em> . Andrea thinks, coasting his fingers along Cloud’s jaw. Touch slow and light, but purposeful. <em> Maybe this was a bad idea. I might not let us walk out here </em>.</p><p>“I. Uh.” Cloud’s voice is quiet. Distracted. “Same...I-I mean. You look. Nice.”</p><p>It’s nothing. It’s less than nothing. Andrea’s been called beautiful and more besides all his life. But Cloud’s soft, halting words hit him unlike anything else ever has. Strikes at both his heart and the fire in his blood. Because it’s the first time that Cloud’s <em> ever </em> actually said something about Andrea’s appearance. And it’s not like Andrea doesn’t know Cloud’s attracted to him. He’s learned more and more to read the expressions that hover in the back of his pretty face and lovely eyes.</p><p>But the fact he’s actually given voice to those thoughts, halting and mundane though they might be, is heady. A drug to his system. Threatening to stir up long banked desires here and now. Coaxing him to capture those lovely, full lips. To push him back. To strip him down. To show Cloud exactly what he does to him-</p><p>Andrea bites the inside of his cheek and tries to reel himself in.</p><p><em> Calm down </em> . <em> Calm. Down. </em> He repeats to himself. <em> Don’t push it- don’t push him </em> . <em> One step at a time Andi </em>.</p><p>Andrea pulls on a smile, takes a step back, locking his hands behind him. Channelling all the tension in his body into twisting and squeezing them together.</p><p>“Thank you.” He says, voice hovering on the edge of unsteady. But he breaths, makes himself settle. “Shall we?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Night on the town, remember?” Andrea teases, something soft and fond laying itself over the still simmering heat. Making it a little easier to tuck it away. To push it back. “You ready?”</p><p>“Oh. Right.” Cloud gives an endearing little shake of his head. Something strange flickering across his expression again. Whatever it is, vanishes quick enough. Cloud meeting his gaze with a short, sharp nod. “Right, that’s...what we’re doing. Let’s go.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“And here we are.” Andrea says, grinning as they pull up outside the bar not fifteen minutes later. Cloud peers at the place skeptically. Not that Andrea can blame him. <em> Oasis </em> doesn’t look like much of anything on the outside.</p><p>“So, what is this place exactly?” Cloud asks as they both climb off Fenrir.</p><p>“You’ll see. Come on.” Andrea says and guides him through the door. The bar itself is a simple affair. A sort of old country style to the woodwork and round tables that are scattered up and down its sides. The square bar at the back is the busiest place in. Nearly every stool full of patrons, laughing and drinking. It’s a quaint little space, and also not the reason Andrea’s brought Cloud here.</p><p>“Evening Andrea. Been a while.” The barkeep calls, waving at him. Andrea returns the gesture.</p><p>“Good evening Razzler. Got room downstairs for two more?”</p><p>“You know it. Have fun.”</p><p>“When do I ever have anything else?” He turns back to Cloud with a smile. “Do you want anything while we’re up here?”</p><p>The blond just shakes his head. Andrea nods and ushers Cloud across the bar to the set of stairs that disappears beneath the floorboards. As they walk Andrea’s spine tingles and he glances back into the bar. Spots a man lurking in a corner, a massive tankard in hand to go with his drunken flush. His dark eyes narrowed. But he’s not glaring at Andrea.</p><p>His attention is on Cloud.</p><p>Something bubbles in Andrea’s stomach. Protective. He knows the look in the man’s eye and wants nothing to do with it. Better they just head down. He gently nudges Cloud ahead of him and follows him down the rickety stairs. At the bottom there’s a landing that wraps around the stairs and a wide, metal door against one wall. The night’s bouncer greets them both with a nod and pulls it open.</p><p>“Whoa...” Cloud breaths as the heavy metal door swings open revealing the room beyond. Andrea grins at the quiet surprise in Cloud’s voice.</p><p>What lays beyond the door is an ocean of neon colored lights and bodies. The thrum of music in the air pulsing like a heartbeat, loud and unrepentant. Pulling the horde of people to follow its intoxicating rhythm.</p><p>Andrea leans forward, pressing his lips to Cloud’s ear.</p><p>“Stay close to me.” He says, reaching down to entwine one of their hands. The blond glances at him, silent. Then he nods. Andrea smiles as he pulls him into the crowd. True to his word, Cloud sticks to him like glue as the dancer weaves through the crowd easily.</p><p>“Ever gone clubbing before?”</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>Andrea stops as they reach a slightly less crowded section of the floor. Leaning in to speak directly into Cloud’s ear again. “Will you dance with me?”</p><p>Cloud glances around them. Eyeing the other dancers cautiously. “I...don’t know this one.”</p><p>“That’s alright. I’ll happily teach you.” Andrea grins at him. Bright and full of showmanship as he winks. “Think you can keep up?”</p><p>Cloud blinks, something surprised flickering over his face. Then it fades. Replaced by the faintest hint of that old, cocky smirk that Andrea hasn’t seen on him in far too long. “I’m a fast learner.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, low and pleased in his chest. “Oh I know that, lovely.”</p><p>It still doesn’t stop the thrill in Andrea’s blood at how quickly Cloud adapts. To the new steps, to the rhythm. To him. Tension and focus slowly bleeding out of his expression and limbs as they shift and sway and step to the music. Instinct and grace taking over. Andrea loves watching him let loose. Loves to see that ever present vigilance fade. Enough that Cloud can just exist in a moment.</p><p>But as the songs go on, the atmosphere between them shifts. A familiar, near electric current surging quiet in the air between them. Like orbiting stars, they’re drawn together again. A force strong as gravity pulling at Andrea’s limbs as Cloud drifts into his space. His hands settling on the cool silk covering Cloud’s arms. Dragging along toned muscles. Drifting down. Catching those sharp hips and tugging Cloud flush against him.</p><p>Cloud gaps, peering up at him from beneath hooded eyes. Bright and intent. Glowing bright in the brief moments the lights twist away from them. That spark of interest deep in their depths. A siren’s call to Andrea’s blood. Twisting higher as Cloud’s hands settle against his chest in turn, pools of heat against his already heated skin. Andrea dips his head as Cloud’s hands slide up. Pressing his lips to Cloud’s jaw as Cloud’s arms wrap around his neck.</p><p>“Cloud...” He says, voice tumbling down into a growl as the other shifts against him. As he catches the faint, breathy noise that escapes Cloud’s lips. Echoing through his senses. Realizes it’s his name-</p><p>“Get a room Rhodea!”</p><p>A familiar voice cuts the moment in two, Cloud pulling back so fast it’s like ice water down Andrea’s spine.</p><p>“Damn.” He sighs, unsure if he’s cursing himself for slipping so much. Or for the interruption.</p><p>“Is that...Leslie?” Cloud says, something startled still hovering in his expression as he fusses with his shirt cuffs. Andrea looks over, spying that familiar mop of silver hair.</p><p>“Looks that way.” Andrea sighs, glancing at Cloud apologetically. “I actually need to talk to him about something. Wait for me?”</p><p>“Sure. Meet you by the door.”</p><p>“I won’t be long.”</p><p>“No rush.” Cloud says and ducks back through the crowd. Andrea watches him go a moment before heading to where Leslie’s waiting.</p><p>“So. You and Strife, huh? Guess I shoulda seen that coming.” The man says soon as he’s near.</p><p>“Nice to see you too, Leslie.” Andrea greets him dryly. “I hope you have a good reason for interrupting my evening.”</p><p>“Not really. Strife’s pretty, but I don’t need an eyeful.” Leslie looks at him pointedly, “You heard anything back?”</p><p>“Not yet. You know I’ll let you know when I do.”</p><p>“Right.” The other seems oddly tense. Distracted. Andrea knows that look all too well.</p><p>“What’s going on Leslie?” He asks, stepping closer and lowering his voice.</p><p>“I’m not sure. It’s just a bunch of whispers right now. Nothing concrete.” Leslie looks him dead in the eye, voice lowering “But you might wanna keep an eye on your new boy toy.”</p><p>“Don’t call him that.” Andrea says, unable to keep the sharpness out of his voice. “What whispers?”</p><p>“I’ll let you know when I know. Promise.” Leslie replies. Something like a smile on his sharp features. He looks out over the crowd. “Strife’s a decent guy. I’d hate to keep you away from- uh oh.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>A gruff voice catches Andrea’s ear over the music and he turns, peering through the crowd to see the man from upstairs. Scowl maring his flushed face. Beady, drunken eyes narrowed in a fiery glower. There’s poison in the man’s voice. Deep and dark.</p><p>“The fuck <em> you </em>doing here?”</p><p>The bastard’s confronting Cloud.</p><p>He doesn’t often get genuinely angry. But Andrea feels a stirring of it in his gut. Bright and fierce. Sharp enough to propel him forward, pushing his way through the dance floor. The man’s ranting is starting to turn more than a few heads.</p><p>“I said the fuck are you doing here, <em> freak </em>.”</p><p>The drunk stumbles forward, reaching out and trying to make a grab for Cloud. The blond jerks away, stance shifting into something defensive.</p><p>“Don’t touch me, asshole.”</p><p>“Oh now it speaks! The fuck let something like you in here huh?” The drunk spits, “Fucking <em> puppet- </em>”</p><p>Andrea sees Cloud’s placid mask fracture. A flicker of something horrific deep in those bright eyes. The faintest hitch of shoulders. It’s barely a moment before Cloud steadies himself again, but it’s enough to have Andrea’s gut <em> burn </em>.</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>Andrea shoves through the rest of the crowd. The disruption enough to drag the man’s attention off Cloud. He blinked owlishly at the dancer, swaying in place. Barely catching himself on the wall.</p><p>“The hell are you?”</p><p>Andrea ignores him, stepping up beside Cloud and resting a hand on his arm. “Are you alright?”</p><p>Cloud just nods tightly, never taking his eyes off the other man.</p><p>“Heh. You the bitch’s new master?” The man’s sneer is foul, as he looks between the two of them. “Why don’t you keep it out of civilized, human space, huh? Dog houses are out back.”</p><p>Andrea feels a rush of cold fire burn through him. Doesn’t even realize he’s stepped forward until a hand clamps against his arm. His attention jerks away from the man as Cloud holds onto him, shifting to stand in front of Andrea. Acting as a wall between him and the drunk.</p><p>“You done?” Cloud’s voice is a quiet, chilling calm. Stark against the heated poison in the drunkard’s.</p><p>“No I ain’t done, <em> freak </em>! What’re you gonna do huh? Bitch-ass punk-”</p><p>“Gavin! What the hell are you-” Another man shoves through the crowd from the stairs. Grabbing the drunk’s arm and hauling him back a step. He looks at Cloud and his face goes pale even in the vibrant lights. “Oh god. I-I’m so sorry. He didn’t mean anything-.”</p><p>“Fuck off! Imma ‘bout to teach this bitch some manners-!”</p><p>The drunk tries to throw his companion off, lunging back towards them. Andrea sees and feels the way Cloud’s body shifts. A reactionary tension. Ready to move if he has to. Still standing between the man and Andrea.</p><p>“Enough!” Gavin’s companion grabs him with both hands and nearly pulls him to the ground as he hauls him back. The man’s wide eyes flickering between his friend and Cloud as he mutters. “Excuse us.” As the pair duck back into the crowd, Andrea hears the other man’s voice, low and hysterical. “Are you<em> insane! </em>? He could’ve killed you!”</p><p>Andrea knows why the other man appears so afraid of Cloud. Even he isn’t immune to the rumours that surrounded Shinra’s greatest forces. There’d been dozens of them in Midgar. Both before and after the war. Whispers of madness and brutality.</p><p>But all he can think of in that moment is Cloud. Who’d run home to comfort a boy after a nightmare. Who’d sat in front of Andrea with his head down and confessed to being terrified. Of running headfirst into hell anyway because it was the right thing to do. Who’d done god-knows-what and gone who-knows-where to track down and bring Andrea back a fucking <em> rose </em>.</p><p>The very idea of <em> anyone </em> leveling such lies at Cloud makes Andrea want simultaneously to wretch and break something over the idiot’s head.</p><p>Cloud’s still hovering in front of Andrea. Protective. Silent. Tense. His eyes cast towards the floor. Something distant in them. People around them are still staring, still whispering. Andrea’s heart aches and he reaches out,</p><p>“Cloud-”</p><p>“Let’s go.” Cloud dodges him and turns, heading for the door. Andrea follows, the prickling of dozens of eyes on his back. Seeing the way some others skitter out of the way as Cloud walks past.</p><p>For the first time Andrea thinks he sympathizes with Cloud’s aversion to crowds.</p><p>The night air is brisk after the heat of the club. Biting at Andrea’s hands and face. But he follows Cloud closely as he sets off down the street. From the brief glances he manages to sneak at Cloud’s face the blond seems outwardly calm. But Andrea catches the way his eyes flit across the streets. Probably watching for other threats.</p><p>They’re nearly back to where Cloud left Fenrir before the other finally speaks.</p><p>“Sorry.” The words barely a whisper. Cloud’s tense shoulders slumping a little even as he says it.</p><p>Andrea blinks, stunned, “What?”</p><p>“You were having fun, right? And I-”</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea cuts him off immediately. He knows that tone in his voice too well by now. He reaches out and catches one of Cloud wrists, tugging him to a halt. “You have <em> nothing </em> to be sorry for. That jackass is the one who should apologize.”</p><p>Cloud just shrugs, expression carefully empty. Almost despondent. Andrea’s reminded of the strange crack that’d appeared in his mask. Something that man had said clearly got to him. Worry curls itself around Andrea’s lungs. A drop of water on the heat of the anger still simmering in his gut as he thinks of the vitriol that the bastard spit in Cloud’s face.</p><p>“Does that kind of thing happen often?”</p><p>Cloud shrugs again, “Don’t go out enough to notice.”</p><p>It’s a lie. Andrea can see it plain as day. The careful, tired hurt lingering in the back of his eyes. In the tense lines of Cloud’s body. An old, reactionary kind of pain. One he’s had a long time to get used to.</p><p>“Cloud..”</p><p>“What’d you wanna do now?” Cloud looks up, cautiously meeting Andrea’s gaze. There’s something fragile in his eyes. Something that chokes the questions and worries before they can reach Andrea’s tongue. He swallows them down. Breathes. Right, move on. No need to waste their evening on idiots.</p><p>“Are you hungry at all?” Cloud shakes his head. Andrea has to agree. There’s still a rolling, sick feeling in his gut. “Me either, truthfully. Why don’t we pick something up for later and go back?” Andrea says, barely able to stifle the word <em> home </em>.</p><p>“You sure...?” Cloud asks and Andrea can see the tentative relief in the edges of his expression. Andrea smiles, squeezing his hand.</p><p>“Definitely. I’m all adventured out for one day.”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Andi's Shirt: https://shopee.co.id/Flower-Shirt-Men-Fancy-Club-Sexy-Long-Sleeve-Mens-Designer-Shirt-Camisa-Social-Masculina-i.176221158.5604385439</p><p>Cloud's Shirt: https://www.rosegal.com/mens-shirt/casual-long-sleeve-paisley-vintage-shirt-g_2874949.html?currency=CAD&amp;cachecurrency=CAD&amp;lkid=385529&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw7-P1BRA2EiwAXoPWA0ersdbOFxUTug-93mf9jB4fd3oi6aaT1d7JQySeX1u-iEcGmZz_dRoCcqgQAvD_BwE</p><p>Cloud's waistcoat/vest: https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32879241699.html</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Spark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Avasti be praised- for catching my silly slip ups and making sure people aren't wearing clothes they took off three paragraphs ago xD</p><p>Also! If people haven't seen it yet please, Please, PLEASE go check out the lovely sketch CervusDeer did for Cloud's club outfit. I am actually deceased. PRAISE THEM!!</p><p>https://twitter.com/moosephu/status/1260301326535270400?s=21</p><p>(ngl, i teared up because it's my first bit of fanart for anything. ever. bless.)</p><p>7/22 EDIT: *DEADED* They also drew a BEAUTIFUL Andi in his duds for my b-day.</p><p>https://twitter.com/Moosephu/status/1284696895206694912</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The smell of the take-out curry they track down still isn’t enough to spark any sort of appetite in Andrea. The knot of tension still pressing at his insides, though he does his best to push it away. Trying to coax Cloud in talking about simple nothings as they wander to clear their heads. It works, somewhat, but something’s still off. Still wrong. Tugging at the edges of Cloud’s focus.</p><p>Andrea wishes, desperately, that he knew what to do. How to get Cloud to talk about what’s bothering him. But he’s torn. Not wanting to disrupt their time, to waste it dwelling on the idiotic prejudice of others. When Cloud trails off halfway through a thought for what has to be the third or fourth time, Andrea stops him. They’re just about back to <em> Oasis </em> now, he can see Fenrir’s familiar bulk parked a short distance away.</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea says, taking a step in front of him. “Talk to me.”</p><p>“H-huh?” Cloud blinks, eyes darting to Andrea’s from where he’d been staring off into space.</p><p>“You’re...drifting. What’s wrong?”</p><p>“...Sorry-” Cloud starts, but Andrea shakes his head, reaching to rest a hand on the blond’s shoulder.</p><p>“You don’t need to apologize.” Andrea soothes, unable to keep the worry out of his voice, “I just- this isn’t like you.”</p><p>Cloud’s shoulder hitch, something pained flickering through the back of his eyes. He wets his lips, swallowing as he shrinks in on himself a little. Andrea’s heart splinters.</p><p>“Cloud...” He breathes, stepping closer, sliding his hand to curl against the side of Cloud’ face. “Please. What’s-”</p><p>There’s a crash behind him and Andrea whirls around, everything in him on high alert. His eyes land on the disgustingly familiar form of Gavin as the man stumbles out of the nearby alley. He looks somehow even worse than he did in the club. Stumbling and red faced as he curses. His dark eyes flicker up, landing on them. A look of suffused <em> hatred </em> that bleeds into his expression. It makes Andrea feel sick.</p><p>“Oi! The fuck ‘re you still doing here, bitch?”</p><p>“Andrea.” Cloud’s hand catches his wrist, reactionary as Andrea takes a step forward. “Leave it. There’s no point-”</p><p>“I’m fucking talkin’ to you, cocksucker!” Something dark and disgusting twists Gavin’s mouth into a sneer. “Hn, bet that’s the only useful thing them Shinra bastards taught ya, huh? That and how skewer decent folk.”</p><p>Andrea’s stomach churns, anger bubbling through him like magma.</p><p>
  <em> Fuck this. </em>
</p><p>Andrea’s done. Done with this piece of refuse spewing into the air. Done with the way Cloud’s tense and still and hurting behind his eyes. Cloud might not want to <em> waste </em> the energy, but Andrea’s more than happy to. He has anger to spare. He reaches, gently pulling his wrist free of Cloud loose hold. Cloud blinks, attention darting to him.</p><p>“Hold onto this, please.” He says, handing Cloud the bag of their takeout. Cloud takes it, clearly on auto-pilot.</p><p>“What-”</p><p>Andrea crosses the space between him and Gavin in three strides. Curling a hand into the man’s shirt as he drives the other across his face. The man yells, reeling, but Andrea’s hold on him keeps him on his feet. Enough for Andrea to drive his fist into his face again as he whips back around. The crunch of bone is visceral and satisfying. Gavin howls, hands flying to cover his shattered nose, blood dripping thick and heavy from between them. Catching the lapels of Gavin’s shitty, faux leather jacket, Andrea drives his knee up into the man’s gut. Gavin heaves. Andrea tosses him to the ground. Side stepping the disgusting spray of beer and vomit with practice. It doesn’t so much as touch his shoes as the man groans. Whimpering and rolling on the dirty streets. His beady eyes snap open, wild with pain and rage. He struggles, trying to get back to his feet. Andrea plants a foot into Gavin’s chest, knocking him flat again. The sharp heel of his shoe digging into the other man’s sternum.</p><p>“Oh no, no. Don’t get up.” Andrea says. Tone light and uncaring. “Wouldn’t want you to hit your head again.”</p><p>“Son of a <em> bitch </em>.” Gavin yowls, still clutching at his nose. “You mother fucker. I’ll-”</p><p>“You’ll what?” Andrea’s voice drops, eyes narrowing a touch as he cocks his head. Gavin stills beneath him. A wererat in the eyes of a behemoth. It’s an old, familiar and heady sense of power that floods Andrea’s veins. He didn’t become the most infamous of the Three on the merits of his abilities on the dance floor after all. This speck is nothing compared to some of the <em> monsters </em> he’d put in their places at his Inn. But the rage quietly thrumming through him is familiar. Enough that he doesn’t feel the need to hold back. He shifts, putting more pressure into pinning this piece of scum to the pavement. “Go on. I’m curious.”</p><p>“Eh, don’t bother Andrea. I’ll clean up the trash.”</p><p>Andrea looks up to see Leslie melt out of the alleyway’s shadows. The dancer grins, sharp as a knife. Stepping back as he nods courteously. “Thank you Leslie. I’d appreciate that.”</p><p>“Sure. Have a nice night.” Andrea knows the other well enough that this is an apology of sorts for interrupting him and Cloud earlier. His smile softens as he waves to the other man, turning back to go join Cloud.</p><p>“Let’s get out here, lovely. I’m suddenly feeling rather hungry. Must’ve worked up more of a sweat downstairs than I thought.”</p><p>Cloud’s staring at him. With an expression that Andrea can’t name. But the tension that’s been hovering around his shoulders seems to have melted away. Bewilderment taking its place. He looks between Andrea and Gavin. Like he’s trying to process what he’s seeing- what he’s just seen.</p><p>Andrea pauses, stopping a few steps away from Cloud. Something worried flickering in his chest. Oh. That’s right. Cloud’s ever seen him like this before, has he? Andrea shifts, peering at Cloud’s face. He doesn’t seem...upset at least. Just startled. Cautiously, Andrea holds out a hand.</p><p>“Cloud?” He says, keeping his voice light, “You ready to go?”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes snap to him immediately. A dozen different things flicker across his face before he lets out a breath. Then he nods, slow, but firm. Certain. Reaches out to take Andrea’s hand and pull him towards Fenrir. Cloud lets him go to climb on and doesn’t shrug Andrea away when the dancer settles his hands against his waist. Still, Andrea’s careful as he wraps his arms around him, chin leaning to rest on the cool silk at Cloud’s shoulder.</p><p>He smiles a little, mostly to himself, when he feels one of Cloud’s hands rest against his for a moment, squeezing gently.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>The drive home is quiet. It’s late enough that most of Edge’s evening traffic is gone. When they pull up in front of Andrea’s apartment the dancer climbs off first. Stretching his arms over his head, groaning as a knot in his back loosens. The rush of adrenaline has faded now, taking what was left of Andrea’s simmering anger with it. He offers Cloud a smile over his shoulder, reaching out to tap his arm as the blond climbs off the bike too.</p><p>“Come on. Let’s-”</p><p>He stops when Cloud catches his wrist.</p><p>“Wait.”</p><p>Andrea turns back immediately. Can’t help the faint spark of worry at Cloud’s weirdly quiet voice. “Something the matter...?”</p><p>“You’re hurt.”</p><p>Andrea blinks. “What?”</p><p>“Your hand.”</p><p>Oh. Andrea hadn’t even noticed. But there’s a slight split along his knuckles. A faint throb from the bruising. It stings a touch now his attention has been drawn to it, but it’s nothing. Certainly not warranting neither the concern nor apology he can hear in Cloud’s quiet voice. Still, Andrea softens, realizing part of why he’s been so quiet.</p><p>“I’m alright. Well worth it to put some jackass in their place.”</p><p>But Cloud ignores him, twisting to pop open Fenrir’s seat, digging through it for a moment. There’s a brief flash of light from inside it then Cloud lifts his hand. A warm, calming glow circling it. He pulls Andrea’s hand closer, resting his glowing hand lightly over the wounds.</p><p>It’s perhaps a silly thing to think of at the moment, but Andrea loves Cloud’s hands. Especially in contrast to his own. The difference in their skin tone. Cloud’s long, tapered fingers alongside his own broader ones.</p><p>The white-green light settles over his skin like water, soothing and warm. The split and faint bruising around his knuckles vanishing between one breath and the next. Even as Cloud pulls away the warmth lingers.</p><p>“Why’d you-” Cloud’s not looking at him, a furrow between his eyes as he stares at Andrea’s now healed hand. “You didn’t need to do that.”</p><p>Andrea dips his head, catching Cloud’s eye. “Yes I did.”</p><p>Cloud stares at him, the expression on his face one that makes Andrea have to tuck away a sharp ache in his breast. He offers Cloud a tender smile and leans to pluck their takeout bag from inside the seat as well.</p><p>“Come on.” He says and turns to head inside. Pleased when Cloud follows. They both kick off their shoes and Andrea heads to the kitchen. He has actually worked up something of an appetite. They sit at the table and he even manages to get Cloud to eat a little.</p><p>At the very least, Cloud seems more present now. No longer drifting between thoughts. Between breaths. It settles the concern that’s been knotted in Andrea’s stomach. Enough at least that he can joke and prod and tease Cloud when he catches the other staring.</p><p>“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours, hmm?”</p><p>“Didn’t know you could fight.” Cloud says, “Least, not like that.”</p><p>“You do remember who I was, don’t you?”</p><p>“Pretty hard to forget.” Cloud hums, tearing another small piece of naan bread in two. Andrea chuckles.</p><p>“Well. I don’t know anything ‘fancy’. But I can do enough to get by.” An idea crosses Andrea’s mind and he shivers a touch beneath it. Glancing up at Cloud from under his lashes. “We should have a bit of fun and spar one of these days.”</p><p>At last Cloud cracks a hint of a smile as he huffs. “Maybe.”</p><p>They eat their fill, and Andrea tucks what’s left of it away in the fridge before following Cloud back out into the living room. He’s watching out the window again, painted in soft light and gentle shadows from the moonlight pouring in.</p><p>“So what now?” Cloud asks quietly, not looking at him. Andrea allows himself a moment to stare, to trail his eyes along Cloud’s lovely frame. Even that’s enough to spark the low banked desire that’s been hovering inside him all night.</p><p>“Hmm. Well let’s see. I got to dress you up. Take you out. Now we’re back so...” As he speaks, Andrea walks closer, pausing to flick on one of the lamps by the couch. Though really it’s only so he can see Cloud better. Stopping no more than an arms length away from the other. “That really only leaves one thing on my list.”</p><p>“A whole list, huh...?” There’s a touch of amusement in Cloud’s eye when he finally turns to look at him properly.</p><p>“Do you need to go home tonight?” Andrea asks, careful to keep any expectation out of his voice. He never wants to come between Cloud and his family. He’s grown quite the soft spot- not only for Tifa, who’d already wormed her way in all those years ago- but also for the kids. He knows just how important this man is to them all. How important they are to Cloud.</p><p>It doesn’t stop his heart from fluttering when Cloud shakes his head.</p><p>“Nah. Told Tifa we were doing shit. She said if she saw my face before tomorrow there’d be ‘consequences’.” Cloud says with a vaguely unsettled look on his face.</p><p>Andrea makes a mental note to thank her.</p><p>“Then looks like I might get my wish after all.” Another step closer. “If you’ll indulge me...?”</p><p>“Not exactly tired yet.” Cloud says, voice deceptively casual. Especially given the look Andrea can see, hovering in the depths of his eyes as they trail over him. Andrea’s breath catches in his throat. Feeling that familiar electric spark flare.</p><p>There’s a moment, when Cloud hesitates. Hovering in place, like a bird about to take flight. Then he shifts, reaching out a hand, the heat of it startling even through the barrier of Andrea’s clothes as he rests it against the dancer’s chest.</p><p>Cloud meets Andrea’s eyes, a question in his. Heat bleeds out, from Andrea’s stomach to the tips of his fingers. He makes himself take a breath. Slow and deep and steadying.</p><p>“You look like you want something, lovely.”</p><p>“Mm. You.”</p><p>He says it so simply. So easily. It’s not fair how hard it hits Andrea. A blow to the gut that threatens to choke him. He reaches out and pulls Cloud in, a sketch of their earlier closeness back at <em>Oasis</em>. Watches the way Cloud’s eyes flash.</p><p>“How fortunate.” Andrea says, voice low and heated. “I feel the same about you.”</p><p>He doesn’t know which of them closes the distance. Doesn’t know if it’s him bending down or Cloud arching up that presses their lips together. Doesn’t know if it’s the arms around his neck or the ones he settles on Cloud’s waist that pull them closer.</p><p>All he knows is the firm press of Cloud snug against him. The whisper of silk and the quiet noise that brushes his ear as Cloud shifts a hand to the back of his head. Holding him close as Cloud tilts his head, lips parting to let Andrea’s tongue tease the edges of his mouth.</p><p>Desire coils in Andrea’s gut, low and quiet. But he has to know. Has to be sure. There can’t be any missteps. Not when they’ve come so far.</p><p>“Cloud?” He whispers, pulling back enough to breathe. Enough to think.</p><p>“Mmn?” Cloud grunts, a furrow flickering across his expression. Andrea's train of thought is nearly derailed when the blond dips his head to press his lips to Andrea’s throat. Against his thundering pulse. Andrea flounders for a moment, groaning at the faint touch of teeth. Rallying himself against the rising tide of desire.</p><p>“I want to touch you. Is that alright?”</p><p>Cloud groans, frustration lining the edges of his voice as he presses harder against Andrea. “You seriously have to ask?”</p><p>“Yes.” Cloud’s eyes jump to his, a startled light in their depths. Andrea smiles. “I’m through ‘screwing around’ with you, lovely.” Andrea can’t help but inject a little intent into his voice as he brushes at Cloud’s messy hair. But he softens the next instant, sliding a thumb against Cloud’s cheek. “I know it’s difficult for you, but talk to me. Tell me what you want. Can you try?”</p><p>“I...sure? I guess.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Andrea says and couples it with a brush of his finger along Cloud’s lower lip. “Now, let’s try this again.” Andrea stares down in his lovely, lovely eyes and smiles. “May I touch you?”</p><p>“...Yeah.” Cloud’s staring at him too. Something puzzled and a little lost in his expression. But there’s such fire flickering just beneath that. A flame that stokes Andrea’s own higher in turn. Andrea catches his lips again, softer this time. Reaching to start plucking at the buttons of the waistcoat. Sliding it from Cloud’s shoulders and letting it fall to a little black puddle on the floor. Andrea can’t help the way his hands fall against Cloud’s shoulders. Pressing against the firm lines of his body as he trails them down, revelling in the contrast of the silk against his skin.</p><p>“God, purple is absolutely your color. I’m replacing everything you own.”</p><p>“You’re ridiculous.” Cloud grouches, a sigh at the back of his voice. Andrea just grins, tugging the shirt loose from Cloud’s pants. He pauses when he feels a brush against his chest. Cloud’s watching him, something hesitant on his face. “Can I...?”</p><p>“Oh please do.” Andrea chuckles as Cloud immediately sets to work unbuttoning his shirt. Cloud’s much quicker about the whole affair than Andrea. Steady, elegant hands making short work of each. Pausing only when Andrea distracts him. Usually by kissing him. But soon enough Cloud’s got his shirt undone and Andrea shucks it to the side, not caring where it ends up. The frustrated little growl Cloud gives when he realizes Andrea’s wearing a tank top beneath is unreasonably cute. The dancer laughs when he tugs at it. Raising his arms obligingly as Cloud pulls it over his head.</p><p>The heat in Cloud’s eyes as he drags them down Andrea’s now barred torso is intoxicating. A shot of pure, unfettered desire twisting sharp and hot through Andrea’s veins. Especially as Cloud reaches out, hovering for a brief moment before pressing a hand to Andrea’s chest. Andrea sighs, somewhere between relief and desire at the press of skin to skin. The drag of the faint callouses down his torso. Slow. Methodical. <em> Wonderful </em></p><p>He wants more of it.</p><p>Andrea turns his attention back to the task of undoing the buttons on Cloud’s shirt. Unable to stop himself from running his hands along the pale flesh as it’s revealed. From dipping his head at times and pressing his lips to it. It probably takes him near twice as long as it took Cloud. The blond starting to grumble at him near the end.</p><p>Cloud goes to slide the shirt from his shoulders but Andrea reaches out and stops him. Two-toned eyes flash to his. Andrea smiles.</p><p>“Leave it on...?”</p><p>Cloud’s brow twitches. Confusion apparent in his bright eyes. An expression twisting his face that screams at how ridiculous he thinks the request is.</p><p>He leaves it on.</p><p>The dancer kisses him, slow and deep in gratitude. Andrea shifts forward, pressing a thigh between Cloud’s. Humming low and pleased in his throat, when he feels the gentle swell of Cloud’s cock. Nipping gently at Cloud’s lower lips as he pulls his head back.</p><p>“Andrea...” Cloud’s hands drift back up, clutching at Andrea’s shoulders again.</p><p>Slowly, Andrea slides his hands around beneath Cloud’s shirt. Trailing them down the length of Cloud's back, Andrea catches his hips. Fingers curling to press into the firm muscle of his ass. Pulling him closer and revelling in the way he gasps. Pressing his lips to the smooth line of Cloud’s throat as his head leans back, nipping at the delicate skin.</p><p>“Go on, lovely. Tell me what you want.” He can feel Cloud’s throat tremble beneath his touch. Cloud’s voice escaping him in a quiet whine. “Whatever it is. You just have to say it.”</p><p>“Hgh.” Cloud swallows, the sound near audible. “Touch me...”</p><p>Andrea grins, squeezing his ass again, feeling the way Cloud grinds against his muscled thigh. “But that’s what I’m doing?”</p><p>“<em> Andrea </em>.”</p><p>Andrea bites his lower lip, a pleasant shudder racing down his spine at the warning note in Cloud’s voice. “Tell me where.”</p><p>“My dick, genius. Where do you think?”</p><p>Andrea can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of him at Cloud’s tone. Flat and heated. A perfect compliment to the way his eyes flash.</p><p>“There now. Was that so hard?”Andrea says, absolutely deserving the scathing look Cloud sends him for it. Grinning he reaches to start working open Cloud’s belt. The clink of metal and drag of leather. Familiar but still enough to stir Andrea’s blood. Especially coupled with the way he hears Cloud’s breath hitch. He bites at Cloud’s pulse as he pops the button of his jeans and pulls the zipper down. A slow, quiet drag. Keeping his touch light. Grinning into Cloud’s skin when he feels him rock towards him. Andrea pulls away, meeting Cloud’s softly glowing eyes.</p><p>“Let’s get you out of these.” Andrea says, waiting for Cloud to nod before he sinks to his knees. Gripping his waistband and pulling them down one smooth motion. He tosses them aside and takes great pleasure in running his hands back up Cloud’s long, toned legs.</p><p>Andrea can feel Cloud’s eyes on him. He buries a smirk against his stomach. Well, never let it be said Andrea doesn’t know how to put on a show. Feathering his lips along Cloud’s skin, Andrea dips his head, catches the band of Cloud’s boxers in his teeth and drags it down. Humming low in his chest when Cloud’s half-hard length springs free and the blond gasps above him.</p><p>“Shit- Andrea...”</p><p>The dancer hums, pulling the drab black underwear halfway down Cloud’s thighs before letting his hands pull them the rest of the way off. Leaning forward he takes the head of Cloud’s cock into his mouth. Cloud’s hands clench against his shoulders. Andrea hums at the faint bite of blunt nails into his skin.</p><p>He can’t help sinking a little further down. Teasing Cloud with delicate laps of his tongue and the faintest hint of teeth. Eyes closing as he groans. Feeling the other swell beneath the attention. Andrea’s only allowed a few moments to savour the weight and salt of Cloud on his tongue before he’s being pulled at. He opens his eyes and peers up at Cloud’s.</p><p>“Get up here.”</p><p>Andrea doesn’t think he could deny a request from Cloud right now. Especially in that voice and building storm in his eyes. His own cock throbs in the confines of his pants even as he smirks. He’s barely back on his feet before Cloud’s hauling him in. One hand around the back of his head. Crushing their lips together in a rush of hot breath and teeth and tongue.</p><p>Andrea groans deep in his chest. He can feel the touch of desperation in the grasp of Cloud’s hands, the press of his body. Tastes it in the breathy noise Cloud makes as they pull apart.</p><p>“Shhh. Easy. Easy-” Andrea grunts as Cloud pulls at him. Gentling his own hands as he soothes the other. “There’s no rush.”</p><p>“S-sorry-” Cloud starts, eyes flashing. Fighting to calm his breathing. Andrea presses a finger to his lips before smoothing it along his cheek.</p><p>“Mmm mmm. You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.” He says, voice low as he watches those bright eyes. Smiles to himself as Cloud takes a moment to breath, before meeting Andrea’s eyes again and nodding. Andrea leans in to press his lips to the corner of Cloud’s. Voice a heated whisper. “On the couch, lovely.”</p><p>Andrea takes a step back, something in him purring as Cloud sways. A little off balance. But he lets Andrea go and moves to the couch. Settling slowly, carefully into the corner. His open shirt flaring around him, having slipped down off his shoulders to settle in the crooks of his elbows. The rich color a stunning contrast to the lean, pale length of his naked frame.</p><p>“Hmmm...look at you.” Andrea tilts his head, unabashedly dragging his eyes along every inch of the man spread before him. “Absolute perfection.”</p><p>And <em> hell </em> if the way Cloud’s eyes flare doesn’t go straight to Andrea’s cock. That unnatural glow bright in the low lamp light. Andrea swallows, biting the edge of his lip as he steps forward. Bracing a knee on the couch between Cloud’s as he leans over the other.</p><p>He hasn’t had near enough chance to explore yet. But even so, Andrea’s careful as he slides his hands down Cloud’s chest. Pausing before he reaches the scar on his chest. Not the one he knows to avoid, but the one that sits over Cloud’s heart. The one that threatens to shake something loose inside him when he looks at it. He can’t help the faint tremble of his hand as he brushes the edge of it with his fingertips.</p><p>Cloud seems to realize why he’s hesitating. A brief furrow between his eyes before he nods.</p><p>“It’s okay.”</p><p>There’s something oddly soothing about his tone as he says it. Andrea’s concerns must be painted all over his face. Andrea offers him a smile, still careful as he shifts to lay his hand over it fully. He doesn’t linger, just long enough to feel the strong, if quick pulse of Cloud’s heart against his palm. To remind himself that Cloud’s here. That he’s fine. Safe despite the fact that something literally tore through his <em> heart </em>-</p><p>Andrea shoves the thought away and drags his hands lower. No. No, none of that here. Not now. There are far better, far happier things to concern himself with.</p><p>Cloud gasps as Andrea gets a hand around his cock. A shudder that rocks through him as Cloud arches, pushing against Andrea’s body, face vanishing into Andrea’s shoulder.</p><p>“Mmmm...there we are.” Andrea rumbles, smiling to himself. Squeezing and twisting his hand up along Cloud’s length. “That feel good?”</p><p>“Mmgh-” Cloud grunts against his shoulder and Andrea can feel him rock into Andrea’s grip in a subtle aborted motion. Andrea waits a moment, then feels Cloud nod tightly against him. A pleased and proud smile plucks at Andrea’s lips. It may not be words, but Andrea can hardly expect this man to change. Not near so soon. Cloud may have trouble finding his tongue, but he’s still technically doing what Andrea asked.</p><p>Leaning his head to the side, Andrea nips at the rosy color hovering on the tips of Cloud’s ear. Tugging the other’s erection in long, slow pulls, grinding his palm against the damp head. The quiet, bitten off noises he catches from Cloud just fuel his own arousal.</p><p>“Come on, lovely.” He coaxes, feathering his lips along Cloud’s ear, trailing it down to his jaw. “Won’t you let me hear you?”</p><p>“Like hell.” Cloud says, grunting as Andrea squeezes his cock hard. A cruel twist of his hand. Grinning when Cloud’s hips shift into his touch again. “Fuck<em> -! </em>”</p><p>Andrea pulls back, enough that Cloud’s head slips from its place at his neck. Gentling the touch of his hand. “Too much?”</p><p>“Hng- n-no. Keep- ah- keep going.” Cloud’s lips part as he gasps for breath. A beautiful flush of color to his face. His eyes glowing, bright and a touch wider as they meet Andrea’s. The dancer groans, biting his lower lip as he stares at Cloud. That’s right. He remember’s Cloud favoring a slightly rougher touch.</p><p>“God I adore the way you feel everything.” He rasps. Resting his other hand against Cloud’s stomach and gliding it up along his side. Revelling in the ripple of his muscle, the heated touch of his skin. Shifting to brush his thumb against Cloud’s right nipple. Humming deep in his chest when Cloud’s head falls back to the edge of the couch. “So beautiful.”</p><p>“S-stop talking.” Cloud grunts, all put upon annoyance. But Andrea feels the slender cock jump in his grasp.</p><p>“No can do, lovely.” Andrea purrs, leaning in to press their foreheads together, staring into those beautiful eyes. Cloud trying his damnedest to avoid his gaze, but not actually pulling away.“How else am I to tell you how stunning you are? How much I <em> want </em> you?”</p><p>Cloud’s attention flickers so him. There’s an uncertainty in those eyes that Andrea can’t accept. Hadn’t he promised himself, all those years ago, not to let Cloud doubt that Andrea wanted him? A failing Andrea intends to rectify. Immediately.</p><p>Andrea lets Cloud go, hushing him as the other twitches, something worried and pleading flashing through his eyes. He shifts over Cloud, reaching to tug one of those toned legs up against his side he presses their hips together. Grinding the aching swell of his erection tight into the other’s, into the cradle of one of his hips. Growling low and touch dark from the pressure. Both relief and desire because it isn’t enough. Dulled by the barrier of clothing still between them. But he sees the way Cloud swallows, gaze flickering down to where they’re pressed together.</p><p>“You feel what you do to me?” Andrea says, biting the edge of his lips as he rolls against Cloud. Thoughtless. Seeking friction. “I almost didn’t let us walk out of here earlier. Did you know that?”</p><p>Andrea sees the flash-spark of surprise in Cloud’s face. Sees the way he swallows, the way his mouth drops. Can feel Cloud’s hips roll beneath his. An unconscious, seeking motion as the other shudders.</p><p>There’s a brush of skin against his stomach. Andrea starts, groaning when he realizes Cloud’s slender fingers have slipped between them. Reaching down to unbutton and unzip Andrea’s slacks. The release of even that much pressure against him makes Andrea huff.</p><p>“Cloud-”</p><p>“Off.” Is all Cloud says. That look of intent, near-hyper focus in his bright, bright eyes. Andrea’s helpless before it, shifting instead to help Cloud pull both them and his underwear off, kicking them carelessly to the floor. Cloud’s strong, slender hands catch against his hips. Pulling firm and insistent until Andrea sinks down against him again. They both gasp from the sensation as their cocks slide against each other. Andrea catches Cloud’s hands, pushing them away so he can roll them together freely. One of Cloud’s arms reaches to lock around his neck, holding him close. The other falling to sink into a nearby throw pillow, twisting into the shimmering fabric.</p><p>Andrea loses himself to the sensation for a moment. To the damp velvet steel of Cloud’s erection against his stomach. Against his own. Grasping Cloud’s waist tightly. Holding him close and still though he can feel Cloud flexing beneath him. Hears the needy, desperate noises that leak into the air to mingle with Andrea’s own.</p><p>“You don’t have the first clue of what you stir in me, Cloud.” Andrea growls. And he doesn’t. Because not even Andrea can explain it. But this? Skin on skin, bodies entwined, <em>this</em> is something Andrea is<em> intimately</em> familiar with. A conversation he knows how to carry and carry well. Cloud’s always more a man of action anyway. The thought makes him smile. “But that’s alright. I’m more than happy to show you.”</p><p>Staring into those impossible eyes, Andrea reaches between them, curling a hand around both of their erections. Squeezing even as he rolls his hips, dragging them together in a tight, delicious slide.</p><p>Cloud’s arm locks tighter around his neck, swaying them both in place a moment. The confused yet hungry moan that rips itself out of his throat is a sound Andrea won’t be forgetting anytime soon. With a sly half grin, Andrea squeezes both of them together in his hand again. Feels another bubble of pre-cum leak from the head of Cloud’s erection. Making it easier to slide against him.</p><p>“Andrea-” Cloud’s voice dies in a shuddering gasp. He catches his lower lip between his teeth, brow furrowing harshly. His fingers press tighter to Andrea’s skin.</p><p>“Feels good?” Andrea smiles, panting into the scant space between them.</p><p>“Y-...yeah...”</p><p>A compromise for now. One day he wants Cloud to be able to express his desires, his feelings. Without cause for all his apparent reservations about doing so. For now, though, Andrea’s happy to do the talking. To feel the startling effect it has on the man in his arms. To feel Cloud shift beneath him. To feel him rock into his grip.</p><p>He works them both. Shifting the speed and grip of his hand in some internal rhythm. Grinning and gasping as the friction eases as they both spill beads of precum. There’s fire burning beneath his skin, sweat pooling between his shoulder blades.</p><p>“...-ss me...”</p><p>Andrea blinks, tearing his gaze away from where he’d been watching the heads of their cocks peak from beneath his fist. “What was that my dear?”</p><p>Cloud’s got that stubborn tilt to his jaw. A furrow on his brow twisting and a look approaching worry in his eye. But still, he swallows and says, “Kiss me...?”</p><p>Andrea blinks, pace faltering. Staring into Cloud’s eye for a moment. Then slowly, warmth rushes through him, teasing out a smile.</p><p>“With pleasure.”</p><p>Andrea curls a hand under Cloud’s jaw and pulls his mouth to his. Cloud arches into him as their mouths press, a quiet noise bleeding off into Andrea’s. Some small tension drains out from Cloud’s spine. Leaving him draped slightly in Andrea’s hold, as the dancer wraps his arm around that lean waist.</p><p>“Oh sweetheart...” Andrea breathes as they part. “See? All you need do is ask.”</p><p>“Then don’t stop.”</p><p>Heat coils low and deep through Andrea’s gut and he speeds his hand against their lengths again. Catches Cloud’s lips in a kiss so deep it presses his head back into the couch. Makes him arch with a breathless moan that Andrea can <em> taste </em>. Cloud shifts beneath him, legs squeezing against either side of Andrea’ waist. Forcing them somehow closer together. Andrea tears his mouth away, lungs aching. A shot of pure, unfiltered desire singing through his veins as Cloud whines high in his chest. Andrea can’t stay away for longer than a breath. Glancing kisses off of Cloud’s lips, his nose, his cheeks. Drinking in the heat and sweat-damp scent of his skin.</p><p>“Don’t stop...” The words a breathy, desperate gasp. “I-...I’m-” Cloud’s voice tangles in his throat, coming out and a heady, desperate moan. His head dropping, fingers tight against Andrea’s shoulder, digging into his skin. Andrea bites the edge of his lip, pressing their hips tighter together. Jerking them both with shorter, tighter strokes.</p><p>“Cloud...” He moans, trying to drag his focus back. Because there’s something he<em> needs</em> to see. Something that’s haunted the fringes of his thoughts for three goddamn years now. A sight he was denied last time. Something he can’t bear to miss again. “Cloud, I want to see you. I want you to look me in the eyes when you cum.”</p><p>The sound that tears itself from Cloud’s chest makes Andrea <em> throb </em>. A harsh, pulsing heartbeat of heat and need. But even that’s nothing compared to the inferno that rocks through his soul as Cloud pulls back. Head arching against the couch as he pants, high and desperate. Blue-green glowing eyes fluttering wildly before Cloud manages to focus enough to catch Andrea’s.</p><p>“There you are...” Andrea breathes, reaching a shaking hand down to cup Cloud’s cheek tenderly. “There you are, beautiful boy.”</p><p>“Andrea- I-” Cloud’s voice wavers, a shudder rippling through his whole body. He bites as his lips again tightly for a moment. His focus wavering. “I can’t-”</p><p>“Go on.” Andrea slides his hand around, cradling the back of Cloud’s neck, fingers burying tight into those soft spikes. He tugs a little and the noise that Cloud makes is something Andrea plans to thoroughly explore at a later date. “Let go. I’m here- I’ve got you.”</p><p>Almost on instinct Cloud’s eyes seem to lock with his. The Mako core of them flares, nearly overtaking the blue around the edges. For a flash of heartbeat or less Andrea swears he sees those dark pupils contract to near cat-like slits. Cloud’s voice pitches as he hits his peak. Approaching a cry as he spills through Andrea’s fingers, hot and wet and deliciously perfect. Andrea’s only a few heavy, rapid strokes behind.</p><p>“Oh yes...” Andrea groans through the waves of his own orgasm. Enraptured by the bliss painted across Cloud’s face, softening all his edges. A slightly wicked idea crosses Andrea’s mind. He can’t help but push a little. Rubbing his thumb slow across the sensitive head of Cloud’s cock. Pressing his nose to Cloud’s hair as he rumbles a low and even, “Good boy.”</p><p>Cloud shudders against him, a tiny, bitten off noise in his throat. Andrea smiles, slow and heated. He’d thought as much.</p><p>“Hmmm...absolute perfection.”</p><p>Cloud groans and shoves at his chest. The move half hearted at best because he still has a near death grip on Andrea. Arm still firmly locked against his shoulders. The dancer laughs, quietly mystified. Wonders never cease with this one, do they? Cloud peaks up at him from beneath pretty lashes. Something flickering in his eyes, the heart of him exposed even with that petulant tilt to his expression. Andrea’s heart swells with fondness. Reaching up to cup Cloud’s cheek tenderly in one hand.</p><p>“Look at you...” He hums, smiling full and soft and warm. “Simply exquisite.”</p><p>“Hm.” Cloud’s eyes cut away from his, color sitting high on his cheeks still. “...Not so bad yourself.”</p><p>The words hit Andrea low in the gut and the man can’t help but stare for a moment. Cloud’s quiet words barrel past all of his defences. Slipping down to brush his heart in a way so few things do anymore.</p><p><em> Oh </em> . Andrea thinks, something in him twisting, leaving him a touch dizzy. A rush near identical to earlier, when Cloud complimented him. <em> It’s always going to feel that way isn’t it? </em></p><p>Andrea doesn’t realize he’s been silent until Cloud looks back at him again. A tentative furrow between his eyes. “What?”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“Why’re you...quiet?”</p><p>Andrea blinks. Something quiet and warm slowly trickling through him as he stares down at Cloud. Taking in the color in his face, the still glowing eyes. The gentle ruin of his hair. The warmth of his skin against his. The cooling tackiness of their releases on his hand and against their stomachs.</p><p>It’s not what he’d expected, this moment. He’d thought he’d had it all planned out. Hazy dreams growing more vivid after Cloud stumbled back into his life. He’d intended to take Cloud to bed. To take is slow and gentle. To worship every inch of him. To show him all the things Andrea can’t find the words for.</p><p>But this is better, somehow. The reality of Cloud beneath him. Dishevelled and all the more beautiful for it. Bright eyed and pliant, still draped in the silk that makes his eyes all the more vibrant still.</p><p>“Because I’ve never met anyone like you Cloud.” Andrea says, perfectly sincere as he sweeps a thumb along a flushed, faintly freckled cheekbone. “And I was just reminding myself of how lucky I am.”</p><p>“...I-” Cloud starts. Stops. Stares at Andrea with a look of quiet wonder and confusion. Then he frowns, the flush in his cheeks brightening. “Stop being a sap and kiss me already.”</p><p>Andrea’s laugh echoes through the room, even as Cloud pulls him down to catch his lips in earnest. The dancer falls into it eagerly, all too happy to kiss the faint hint of a smile.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That funny feeling when you write 50K words before you FINALLY GET TO THE GODDAMN SEX IN A SMUT FIC! JFC?? When I started this the smut was supposed to happen like...three/four chapters in. But then FEELINGS and PLOT happened.</p><p>Also! If anyone wants me to "tag" smut chapters I can definitely do that. I know some people are probably around for 'dem feels'. And don't worry, those definitely aren't going anywhere. There's just going to be more sex involved too.</p><p>Also Badass Queen Bee Andrea Rhodea putting disrespectful people in their places was absolutely inspired by Avasti.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Before the Dawn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Content Warning: This chapter's working title was "Cloud's No-Good-Very-Bad-Morning". Because Cloud has quite a large panic/anxiety attack/identity crisis after the first 'page/line break'. Please take care of yourselves lovelies if that's something that's gonna upset you. If anyone wants/needs me to sum up what happens during it in the end notes let me know and I can absolutely do that! Your mental well being is so important. &lt;3</p><p>Also, also: Avasti continues to be wonderful! :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Andrea lets Cloud shower first. Alright well. <em> Technically </em> he pushes him into it amid several grumbling protests that Andrea should go first. Giving himself a cursory once over with a washcloth as he waits, leaned back against the bathroom sink. Listening to the ambience of the falling water and low music he’s put on in the bedroom. To the quiet shuffling noises of Cloud behind the curtain.</p><p>It’s a strange feeling. A sort of calm contentment that’s settled over him like a second skin. Just listening. Waiting. It’s not that he doesn’t want Cloud back in arms. Not that there isn’t a desire to join him. But he doesn’t feel like it’s necessary. Just being in proximity to him right now is enough.</p><p>Andrea smiles a little ruefully at himself, shaking his head as he chuckles. God he really is as ridiculous as Cloud says, isn’t he?</p><p>“What?” Cloud’s voice echoes over the water. Andrea just shakes his head again even though he knows Cloud can’t see him.</p><p>“Nothing. Nothing. Just thinking.” Andrea assures him, grinning when he can practically feel Cloud rolling his eyes. Even that makes Andrea’s heart swell.</p><p>God he really is fucked. But Cloud’s worth it.</p><p>The water shuts down a moment later. There’s a rustle, then the sharp shriek of metal on metal as Cloud tugs the curtain back, stepping out onto the plush bath mat sitting outside. The embers in Andrea’s gut churn a little. Pleased that Cloud doesn’t feel self conscious around him right now. And yes it’s because Andrea gets to spend more time ogling the lithe lines of his body. But also from the happiness that bubbles through him that he’s still relaxed.</p><p>Andrea shifts, plucking up one of the towels behind him and passing it over. Cloud takes it with a quiet ‘Thanks’ and starts drying himself off.</p><p>“There’s some clothes on the bed for you. Make yourself comfortable. I won’t be long.” The dancer says. Smiling when Cloud ties the towel around his waist, offering Andrea a nod and slipping passed. Andrea lets him go and climbs into the shower. He luxuriates in the hot water for a while, certainly longer than Cloud did. That boy’s far too utilitarian for such things. In and out in a flash. Probably a remnant of his days as a SOLIDER. Andrea doesn’t think he could ever do it.</p><p>But still, Andrea doesn’t take as long as he usually likes to. Not with Cloud waiting for him. That’s something he’s looking forward to far too much to put off. Clambering back out of the shower, he dries off quickly and wraps up in a bathrobe.</p><p>He steps into the room and finds Cloud lounging back against the bed. Clad in his boring boxers and the soft, loose t-shirt Andrea dug out for him. Hands behind his head, bright eyes staring up at the ceiling. His attention flickers to Andrea briefly then away again. Andrea smiles, glad he’s settled in. Andrea takes a moment and slips into a pair of his more comfortable pyjamas before joining Cloud on the bed. Perching on the opposite side, leaning back just to watch him.</p><p>“You know.” He says, mildly, “There’s still one thing left on my list.”</p><p>“Hmm?” Cloud blinks, turning his head to look at Andrea. The dancer pouts a little.</p><p>“Aww. You don’t remember?” Andrea turns over onto his stomach, cradling his chin in his hands. “I said I wanted to hold you till the sun came up.”</p><p>Cloud rolls his eyes. “‘Course you’re a cuddler.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, tipping his head. “May I?”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>Andrea smiles and leans over Cloud, catching his eye briefly as he bends his head to kiss him. Soft. Gentle. Simply for the joy of it. Of being close. Cloud seems more or less amiable to the idea too, shifting his hands from behind his head to curl them against Andrea’s upper arms. Pressing faintly back into Andrea’s touches.</p><p>“You’ve got a weird idea of ‘holding’.” Cloud mumbles as Andrea pulls back a little after a few minutes.</p><p>“I’m getting there. So impatient.” Andrea teases and kisses the end of Cloud’s nose, chuckling when he wrinkles it reflexively. That silly, sweet scowl on his face. “I thought you weren’t a ‘cuddler’?”</p><p>“Shut up.” Cloud grumbles and rolls away onto his side.</p><p>Laughing to himself, Andrea sits up. Pulling back the blankets underneath them, getting Cloud to shift and settle beneath them with him. Which he does, all while blatantly avoiding looking at Andrea again. Andrea can’t wipe the smile from his face. God help him if Cloud isn’t the most adorable thing when he’s determined to be annoyed.</p><p>Snagging the second pillow, Andrea shifts over. Tucking his arm beneath it as he settles behind Cloud. Fitting himself to the firm, lithe lines of his back and gently tangling their legs. Andrea slides his other arm around Cloud’s waist. Sliding his hand up along the firm line of Cloud’s torso, until it rests over Cloud’s heart. He pulls the blond a little closer, pressing his nose to the soft patch of skin behind Cloud’s ear. Humming low in his chest as he breathes him in. The faint scent of his body wash as it mixes with the chemical sharpness of Cloud’s skin.</p><p>“Thank you.” He murmurers. Soft and low.</p><p>“Hmm?” Cloud hums, quietly confused and a little distant. Andrea smiles a little more. He must be tired. Honestly he can sympathize. Especially now, wrapped in their combined warmth.</p><p>“For tonight. For this.”</p><p>Cloud’s quiet for a long while. So long that sleep starts to drag Andrea under. Sinking into the warm darkness behind his eyes.</p><p>“...Andrea..?” A whisper echoes in the quiet. Soft and achingly gentle. Andrea almost doesn’t notice it.</p><p>“Mmm?” Andrea thinks he manages a noise. It’s hard to tell. Hovering so close to the edge of sleep. Warm and perfectly content. His heart a fluttering of butterfly wings when he feels the brush of Cloud’s hand against the one Andrea still has tucked over his heart. Slender, lovely fingers carefully weaving between his own. Squeezing faintly.</p><p>“...No. Never mind. ‘Night.”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Andrea wakes to find Cloud gone. The sudden, jarring absence of his warmth a void beside him. The cold, rumpled sheets the only sign Cloud’d been there at all. The dancer lurches up, head spinning from the sudden rush of being pulled straight from sleep to worry.</p><p>“Cloud?” He calls, voice echoing through the room.</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>It’s late enough to be considered early. A haze of predawn blue grey sitting foggy in the air. A chill settles over Andrea’s skin as he rolls out of bed. His eyes trail over the room, though he already knows Cloud’s not there. Can feel the emptiness in the air like a physical thing.</p><p>The bedroom door’s open. Just a sliver of pale light bleeding through the crack. Andrea pulls it open the rest of the way. A strange rush in his ears. A feeling like cotton over his nerves as he steps out into the living room. It’s lighter out here and it makes the shadows sit heavier in the corners of the room. In the edges of his mind. He scans the space, looking without seeing.</p><p>There’s a faint noise. Something high and small and pained. Andrea’s attention jerks towards it immediately.</p><p>Cloud’s sitting on the floor by the couch. Head in his hands. A periodic tremor running through him that’s obvious even from here. Andrea’s heart lodges in his throat and he flies across the distance between them. Drops to his knees and reaches out to grasp Cloud’s wrists, firm but gentle.</p><p>“Cloud? Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Andrea fights to keep the worry out of his voice. Carefully trying to pull Cloud’s hands away. To get him to look at him. “Cloud-”</p><p>“Get off me!” Cloud’s voice pitches into a shaky, cracking shout as he jerks back. A full body flinch that makes him press into the couch. Immediately Andrea let’s him go. Shifting back to sit on his heels, hands raised placating before him.</p><p>“Okay. Okay, I’m sorry. I won’t touch you.” Cloud lets out another heartbreaking whimper, fingers curling into his hair sharply. Andrea’s heart cracks even as it races. Oh god, what was happening?</p><p>“Don’t touch me.” Cloud grits out, trying to shrink back further. Still trembling.</p><p>“I won’t. I promise.” Andrea repeats, forcing his tone to a calm, even lilt. He can see the way Cloud’s breath is starting to pick up. Verging dangerously close to panic. “Breathe, Cloud. Breathe. Come on. It’s alright.”</p><p>“D-don’t...”</p><p>“Cloud look at me.” Andrea has to curl his hands into fists, nails biting sharp into his skin in an effort to stifle the urge to reach out. “Come on sweetheart, open your eyes.”</p><p>Cloud takes a breath like he’s trying to stop himself from drowning. His eyes snapping open and Andrea’s heart nearly stops. They’re glowing, bright as candle flame, but it isn’t in the way Andrea usually sees them. This light is...hard. Cold. The Mako in his eyes writhing like a living thing, threatening to swallow the blue entirely. But there’s no light in them besides the eerie glow. Cloud’s focus a hundred miles away.</p><p>“Cloud, can you hear me?” Andrea forces himself to meet that empty gaze. Forces himself to talk, slow and calm. “Easy. Easy...just breathe. It’s alright.”</p><p>“W-what...” Between one beat and the next Cloud blinks and the glow of his eyes flickers. Dies. Awareness washing through them like a tide of cold water. His breath stutters, a faint furrow twisting his brow. “A-Andrea...?”</p><p>“...Yes. Yes it’s just me.” Andrea says, low and even. Trying his damnedest to keep the crawling unease out of his voice. “You’re alright. You’re safe.”</p><p>Andrea doesn’t know why he says it. But it feels...right. Fitting. And that in and of itself is distressing. As Cloud comes around, Andrea’s mind races.</p><p>
  <em> What the hell just happened? </em>
</p><p>Andrea knew something was off. Knew Cloud was hovering on the edge of some cliff earlier. But he’d pushed anyway. Let himself forget and indulge himself in Cloud. <em> Fuck </em>, how could he have been so careless?</p><p>“Cloud, I...” Andrea’s voice wavers. He struggles, trying to swallow around the lump in his throat. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry, I should have-”</p><p>Andrea doesn’t get further than that as Cloud gives a near spastic shakes of his head, still clutching at it so tight his hands shake.</p><p>“It’s not you. It’s not-” His voice cracks, breath shuddering out his chest in a way that sounds painful. “It’s me. It’s- I fucked up and I-”</p><p>“Hey. Hey. Shhh...”</p><p>“I’m not right. I’m not what you want-”</p><p>“Cloud.” This time Andrea cuts him off, heart aching.  “Don’t say that. I don’t want anyone but you. You’re the one I-” Andrea chokes on the word that nearly escapes him. Because it <em> is </em> too much. Especially now. Especially this soon.</p><p>...Even if Andrea’s so sure it’s true.</p><p>So he swallows it down. Tucks it away. Trades it for another truth.</p><p>“That I noticed. Just you. Being yourself.”</p><p>Andrea means it, wholeheartedly. Means the words as a comfort, as truth. Because his attention is not something easily won. He can easily count the number of souls who’ve sparked any sort of genuine interest from him. But Cloud has captivated his heart. His mind. His very soul from day one. When Andrea knew nothing about him beyond his grace and beauty and his genuine heart peeking through his rough exterior. And he has only ever fallen deeper since.</p><p>But it seems to only have the opposite effect. Something awful twists Cloud’s expression. Those blue-green eyes swimming dangerously. Andrea’s heart shudders in his chest.</p><p>“Cloud? What’s the matter?”</p><p>Cloud’s shaking. Faint but all too present. The man lets out a breath like he’s been struck. His expression teetering on the edge of nothing and too much all at once.</p><p>“It’s not real.”</p><p>Andrea flinches, staring wide-eyed at the other. “Cloud...?”</p><p>“You said it’s not serious, right? This- this thing, whatever it is. I don’t blame you.”</p><p>Ice rips itself through Andrea’s heart. Leaving a bleed, gaping, frozen void in his chest where it once sat.</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Oh god.</p><p>Oh god, <em> no </em>.</p><p>“Cloud I- That’s not what I meant-”</p><p>“It’s fine.” Cloud interrupts him, voice nearly monotone. “It’s fine. Really. How the hell are you supposed to be serious about someone who-” Something jagged tears at Cloud’s face. Twisting his mouth into a sharp, humourless smile. “Who doesn’t even-”</p><p>“Cloud. Listen to me.” Andrea says, countering the tremble in soul with as much sincerity as he can pack into his words. “I am serious. From the day I saw you-”</p><p>“That wasn’t me. It was just a fucking puppet-”</p><p>Andrea feels cold. A sudden icicle driving sharp and pointed into his gut. Oh. Oh wasn’t that what that fucker back at <em> Oasis </em> had said? Andrea’s jaw clenches so hard it <em> aches </em>. He’d let that bastard off too easy. Should’ve broken his fucking arm-!</p><p>He can’t stop himself reaching out. Catching Cloud’s head between his hands, cradling it tightly. Staring into those wide, too bright eyes.</p><p>“Don’t listen to a single word that bastard said, Cloud. Not one.”</p><p>“Why not? He’s right-”</p><p>“No, he wasn’t! He doesn’t know you-”</p><p>“And you do?”</p><p>Andrea jerks like he’s just been slapped. His hands slip from their hold on Cloud’s face, falling to curl into fists in his lap. But it doesn’t hurt as badly as the quiet horror that bleeds into Cloud’s expression.</p><p>“Sorry. I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean...I-” Cloud’s head bows. Hands coming up, heels pressing sharp to his eyes as he shakes his head. “I’m not what you think. It was a lie. A front. I’m not-”</p><p>“What...?” Andrea can’t keep up. Like he’s only getting one in every dozen words. Something bubbling under the surface of Cloud’s voice. Obscuring as dark water. “Cloud, what are you talking about?”</p><p>“That guy you remember. The one who ’caught your eye’? He isn’t real. He was nothing<em> - </em>”</p><p>Andrea’s heart cracks near in two, despair flooding through him in a rush of cold fire, “You are not <em> nothing </em>-”</p><p>“It wasn’t <em> me </em>!”</p><p>He can’t help but stare as Cloud’s voice cracks. The closest he’s ever heard Cloud come to screaming. Loud and shattered and <em> painful </em>. It echoes through the room, clinging to the heavy shadows tucked away into the corners. Cloud curls in on himself. Hands clutching at his head, curling tight and shaking into his wild hair.</p><p>“It wasn’t-” The sudden quiet of Cloud’s voice, contrasted against his outburst sinks sharp, hooked claws into Andrea’s heart. “I couldn’t remember. I didn’t know. But I’m not- I-I’m not-”</p><p>Something clicks in the back of Andrea’s head. A key slipping into the right lock. This has to have something to do with Cloud’s memories. Or rather the lack of them. Of the way Andrea noticed, when Cloud’d showed up again nearly three months ago now, that he’s<em> different </em>. On some intrinsic level. No longer the stony faced, serious eyed mercenary. But something quieter, a little more open. A little more hurt.</p><p>And now Cloud’s spiralled so far in his own head that he thinks Andrea doesn’t know him. Thinks, for whatever reason, that what initially sparked Andrea’s interest in him wasn’t real. That without that, there’s nothing.</p><p>It hurts. A poisonous, spreading agony. Like someone’s trying to carve Andrea’s heart out with a dull knife, one cruel centimetre at a time.</p><p>Andrea grits his teeth and takes in a shaky breath. Pushing back the burning behind his eyes. Breathes again. Reaches out, slowly. Carefully. Rests his fingertips against Cloud’s cheek.</p><p>“You’re Cloud Strife. Born in Nibelhiem on August 11th 1986.” Andrea says, calm as he can. Fighting against a fresh wave of pain when he sees Cloud flinch. Hears the sharp catch of his breath. “Your mother was Claudia. You can’t eat seafood. Your favourite color’s purple, even if I can’t get you to admit it out loud.” Andrea can’t help the painful half smile that twists his features. He rattles through a dozen different things Cloud’s told him. “Those are all things you’ve told me, Cloud. <em> You </em>. Or was it all a lie?”</p><p>“...N-no...” Cloud shakes his head. The motion faint. His brow furrowed. Expression dark. Painful. Lost. “But. But I’m not-”</p><p>“I don’t care what you’re not, Cloud. I care about <em> you </em> .” Andrea reaches out and catches one of Cloud’s hands. Squeezing it tight in his bid to stop the tremors shaking them both. “And I’m worried. I’m worried that you came out here, alone and hurting instead of waking me up. Even if I couldn’t do anything but sit beside you, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I care that you’re hurting- that you’ve been hurt before. And I’m not naive. I know I can’t take it away. I don’t want to- to <em> fix </em> you. That’s not-” Andrea can’t help the way he shifts to cradle the side of Cloud’s head in his palm again. Fighting and failing to keep his voice even, “Cloud you don’t need to be fixed, because you’re not <em> wrong </em>.”</p><p>Cloud shudders before him. Tense and sharp. Gasping against the wounds Andrea can see so clearly in the back of his eyes. In the dark shadows of his face.</p><p>“You say you’re different from when we met? So am I. So are a lot of things. I don’t want a- a memory of who you were, Cloud.” Andrea’s lived with that memory before. For three years. He has no desire to go back to those days. No way in hell. “I want you. The reality of having you here. Of being around you, with you- whatever that entails. It means more to me than anything else on the Planet.”</p><p>Cloud’s staring at him. Eyes wide and wet and bright. Full of so much it threatens to crush them both. He takes a shuddering breath, shoulders hitching. Expression twisting sharply. In the next heartbeat he crumples, falling into the circle of Andrea’s arms as the dancer reaches out to catch him.</p><p>“Oh sweetheart...” Andrea whispers, voice coarse in his throat. Rough and trembling as he draws Cloud to him. Tucking his head against his chest, burying his face in his hair. One hand coming up to cradle the back of Cloud’s head. Everything inside him shuddering with hope and fear as Cloud curls into the embrace. “You are real to me, Cloud. You’re enough. Right here. Right now, in this moment.” He squeezes Cloud closer. “You’re here. I see you.”</p><p>Cloud’s arms come up. A flash of movement as they close tight around Andrea. Clutching at him like the world’s ending and Andrea’s the last life line before the abyss swallows them whole. Andrea clutches him back just as tight. Repeating and repeating reassurances. Coaxing Cloud to breathe through the shudders wracking through him.</p><p>“You’re real. It’s real. I’m not going anywhere.”</p><p>Andrea doesn’t know how long they sit there. How long Cloud clutches him so hard he aches from the pressure. But slowly- painfully, heartbreakingly slowly- Cloud calms. His shivers stop. Breath falling to a more natural rhythm. No longer clinging to Andrea like a lifeline.</p><p>The room around them brightens. Slowly, but surely. Beams of honey gold sunlight drifting in through the window as the sun slowly breaks over the horizon beyond. Brushing warm and soft against them as the light spreads across the floor.</p><p><em> Looks like you got your wish Andi </em> . Some dark, cynical part of him croons. <em> Just not how you wanted. </em></p><p>Andrea shakes the thought away and shifts.</p><p>“Come on. Come here.”</p><p>Gently Andrea eases them up. Turning and shuffling to get them both on the couch, bracing his back against one arm. Carefully lifting Cloud and settling him in his lap. Trying to ignore the way his heart twinges. Aching with how quiet Cloud is and how <em> light </em> he feels. Dangerously so. Cloud folds into him, limp and despondent. Head settling against the curve of Andrea’s neck. Andrea wraps him back up in his arms, carding his fingers through soft blond hair. Mindless and comforting. After a moment, he finds his voice again.</p><p>“I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you thought I wasn’t serious about this. About us.” Cloud shifts a little against him and Andrea squeezes him tighter. “I just. I didn’t want to pressure you. Make you feel like...like I needed reciprocation if it wasn’t what you wanted. I don’t-”</p><p>“You’re an idiot.” Cloud cuts him off, a note of quiet, slightly wet humour in his voice. The humour fades out between breaths. “But I’m a worse one.”</p><p>“Jury’s still out on that I’m afraid. Call it a draw?”</p><p>Cloud makes a small, exhausted sound. Neither agreement or disagreement. For now it’ll have to do.</p><p>“So.” Cloud still sounds rough when he pipes up a few minutes later. But at least he’s present. At least he sounds like himself. “‘Us’, huh?”</p><p>If he wasn’t so overwrought, Andrea might have flinched. That’d been a slip on his part. But...well. After everything that just happened, he can’t exactly find it in himself to be too upset. After his apparent screw up, Andrea’s very quickly adopting an ‘honesty’s the best policy’ mentality.</p><p>“If you want.” He says, quiet, but light.</p><p>“Do you?”</p><p>Andrea’s not quite sure what to make of Cloud’s tone. But still, he takes a breath. Slides a hand up to find one of Cloud’s. Gently links their fingers together. “Yes. Yes I would.”</p><p>“Okay.” Cloud nods from his place, tucked safe against Andrea’s chest. “...Me too.”</p><p>Something warm flutters through Andrea’s ribs. Coiling through his veins, bleeding through his muscles. Easing out the lingering tension and letting it float off into the warming dawn air. Andrea dips his head, closes his eyes against the rush of something like tears. Presses his lips to the top of Cloud’s head.</p><p>“Okay. Us it is then.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>It’s no surprise that Cloud drifts off. It’d been well after midnight when they’d finally turned in. He can’t have gotten more than an hour or two at best last night. Given how cold the bed was when Andrea woke and how pallid he is now. The dark circles hovering around his eyes.</p><p>But no matter how exhausted he is, physically and mentally, Andrea can’t seem to follow him. His mind turning over and over again. Looping through trains of thought. But he comes back to a few of them often. Each time they needle at his consciousness a little more.</p><p>Something concrete finally bubbles out of the chaotic maelstrom. Something focused and real and manageable.</p><p>He needs to call Tifa. To see if he can get answers on what the hell had gotten a hold of Cloud. To see if she knew what had been brewing behind the horribly empty eyes.</p><p>But that also means he’s going to have to find a way to extract himself from under Cloud. A task that’s probably going to be far easier said than done. No matter how exhausted the man is, Andrea’s seen just how jumpy he is. How easily he shifts from sleep to wakefulness. He’s going to have to do this carefully.</p><p>Something inside him still shivers at how easy it is to lift Cloud. How little of him there seems to be. Still as he gets to his feet, despite moving slow as he can manage, Cloud stirs with a small groan. Andrea pauses, squeezing him a little closer to his chest.</p><p>“Shhh.” He says, voice whisper soft. “Just moving us to the bed.”</p><p>Cloud stills against him for a moment. Then Andrea feels the faint nod of his head against his shoulder and continues to the bedroom. He braces a knee on the bed and settles Cloud carefully down onto it. Pulling the blankets snug around him and kneeling beside the bed. He can see a sliver of those blue eyes peeking out at him. He offers Cloud a gentle smile, stroking his cheek with the backs of fingers.</p><p>“I’ll be right back. Get some more sleep, hmm?”</p><p>“...’kay…” Cloud replies, voice just as soft. Andrea leans in, pressing his lips to Cloud’s temple and slips out of the room. He leaves the door open a crack so it won’t creak when he gets back and disturb Cloud. Steadying himself with a breath, Andrea scoops up his phone and fires off a text to Tifa’s.</p><p>
  <em> Can I call you? </em>
</p><p>It’s not thirty seconds later that she responds</p><p>
  <em> Of course. </em>
</p><p>Andrea heads for the kitchen, sitting at the table as he dials out.</p><p>“<em> Andrea? </em> ” Tifa answers before the first ring finishes, concern already evident in her voice. “ <em> Is everything okay? </em>”</p><p>“Well. It was, but we had a bit of a rocky start this morning.”</p><p>“<em> What happened? </em>”</p><p>“I’m not sure.” Andrea says, unable to keep the unease from his voice as he remembers it. “Cloud woke up early this morning and seemed. Not himself. He was stuck in some kind of...” He trails off. He doesn’t know what the hell to call what’d happened. Doesn’t know how to describe it. What to call it. So he doesn’t try. “He didn’t know where he was. Is that...unusual for him?”</p><p>Tifa’s quiet for nearly a minute. Andrea taps his nails anxiously across the table as he waits, something unpleasant coiling deep in his stomach. When Tifa speaks up again, her tone is very careful. Stilted even, especially for her.</p><p>“<em>...No.</em> <em>I mean. Yes, but it happens. Just not as much as it used to.</em>”</p><p>“I see.” Andrea says, heart sinking. He forces himself to breathe around it. “Is there anything I can do? To help, I mean.”</p><p>There’s genuine regret in Tifa’s voice as she sighs. “<em> Not really. Just...be there. Make sure he eats and drinks if you can. But don’t hover. If you can get him to talk, great. But don’t hold your breath. </em> ” There’s something like a smile hovering under her words as she continues. Probably trying to offer some comfort. He appreciates the gesture even if it doesn’t do much to touch the anxieties swimming through him. “ <em> He’ll be okay. Just give him time. He might be kinda out of it today </em>.”</p><p>“Thank you for the heads up.”</p><p>“<em> Do you need anything </em>?”</p><p>“No. No, I think we’re alright now. I just wanted to check in.”</p><p>“<em> Right. </em> ” He can hear Tifa shift on the other end of the line. It’s a moment before she continues. “ <em> Hey, Andi?” </em></p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“<em> Thanks. </em> ” There’s something so soft in Tifa’s voice. Something fond and quietly hurting. “ <em> For keeping an eye on him, I mean. I know it can be rough. </em>”</p><p>Andrea shakes his head automatically, even though he knows she can’t see him. “He’s worth it.”</p><p>“<em> Heh. Yeah. </em> ” Tifa sounds much more like herself in that moment, something bright warming her voice. “ <em> Call me if anything else comes up. </em>”</p><p>“Will do. Thank you Tifa.”</p><p>“<em> Sure thing. </em>”</p><p>“Say hi to the kids.”</p><p>“<em> Mm. Will do </em>.” Tifa says and hangs up. Andrea follows suit, setting it to the side as he sighs. He can’t help sinking his face into his hands. Taking a moment to breath. To think. To process.</p><p>He doesn’t know how he feels right now. Not sure if Tifa confirming that this morning wasn't anything new is a balm or a knife to his nerves. Andrea decides in the end it doesn’t really matter either way. It’s not like he’s going to be scared off. No chance. He’d meant what he’d said after all- Cloud’s more than worth it.  Andrea’s going to stay by Cloud’s side.</p><p>And speaking of, he should be getting back. They both could use some more rest after all.</p><p>A few minutes later, Andrea finds himself tucked up with Cloud again. Despite his best efforts, Cloud wakes near as soon as he enters the room. But he doesn’t speak, just shuffling back in the bed to give Andrea room. After pulling the curtains closed to keep out the rising daylight, Andrea takes the silent offer and pulls Cloud in close. Shifting them around so they’re laying similarly to how they were on the couch. Cloud’s head resting against his chest over his heart. Andrea’s arms more loosely draped across his waist.</p><p>It takes them both a while. Cloud tracing slow, mindless designs against Andrea’s collarbone. Andrea brushing his thumbs against Cloud’s waist. But the silence between them is comfortable. Familiar. Warm even.</p><p>Eventually it drags them both down. Into soft and dreamless sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Recommended Listening: Three Days Grace: Real You</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Drifting Down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Avasti is lovely :) But you all should know that well.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They manage to get a few more hours of sleep. Not much. Not enough to really make up for what they missed. But still, it’s better than nothing. Cloud wakes up first again, but he doesn’t leave. Andrea stirs to find Cloud laying with one arm beneath his head, the other in the small space between them.. Quiet and still.</p><p>Eerily so.</p><p>But his eyes aren’t glowing. And even though his attention’s elsewhere, it’s not as far away as it’d been earlier. After how frightened he’s been, Andrea will take any sign of improvement. He’s not sure how Cloud knows he’s awake. Maybe he doesn’t and that’s why his voice is little more than a whisper.</p><p>“Sorry.”</p><p>A part of Andrea’s expecting it. But it makes his heart sink. He shifts, sliding down the bed so he can meet Cloud’s still tired eyes head on. Reaches out a hand and rests it against the side of his face. Heart full of a sweet ache when Cloud tilts into the touch even slightly.</p><p>“For what?” Andrea asks, voice low as he sweeps his thumb along Cloud’s cheek. He still looks a touch pale with exhaustion. Still has those shadows hanging around his eyes. Like the worry still flickering in Andrea’s chest. Cloud doesn’t move, but his eyes do drift away. Unable or unwilling to meet Andrea’s.</p><p>“All of it. For what I said. I...” Something shivers through the back of Cloud’s expression. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Cloud...” Andrea shakes his head. “You don’t-”</p><p>“Yeah. I do.” The hand Cloud has resting on the bed between them twitches. Fingers curling into the sheets. Expression marred by a shadowy furrow. “There’s...so much I-”</p><p>Cloud’s voice dies in a shiver. The worrying fog threatening his eyes again. Andrea’s heart trembles as he curls his hand against Cloud’s face a little more firmly.</p><p>“I know. Will you look at me a minute?” It takes a moment, a few tense and distressing heartbeats before Cloud’s gaze flickers to his. Andrea meets the effort with a quiet smile. “It doesn’t have to be today. It doesn’t have to be tomorrow, or the day after. We’ve got time. And frankly, we’re both exhausted, no?”</p><p>“Yeah...” Cloud sighs, and there’s a flicker of relief in the back of his eyes. Andrea can’t help but smile a little at it. At him. Cloud’s expression twitches slightly. Like he wants to return it but can’t quite manage it. Andrea appreciates the sentiment anyway. He slips his hand down, tapping at Cloud’s chin lightly. The blond exhales through his nose, though whether that’s from Andrea’s antics or exhaustion is up in the air.</p><p>For a moment it looks like Cloud’s going to continue. But before he can he winces, rolling onto his back and reaching to rub at his forehead.</p><p>“Headache?” The dancer asks quietly.</p><p>“Yeah. Kinda.” Andrea hums in sympathy and sits up. He shifts to sit above Cloud’s head. The blond tips his head back and squints up at him. “What?”</p><p>“Maybe I can help?” Andrea says, reaching to gently pull Cloud’s hand away from his forehead. Cloud lets him, letting it fall to rest against his stomach. Andrea smiles at him and shifts his hands to rest them on either side of Cloud’s head. Fingers buried in the soft, messy hair. “Just relax.”</p><p>Andrea shifts his fingers to Cloud’s temples and traces them back. Calling up long unused memories to find the right pressure points. Rubbing them in slow, deep circles. Cloud winces under the pressure at first, but then he lets out a long, slow breath. Some of the tension bleeding out of him with it. Andrea smiles, shifting his attention to different points at intervals. Watching the furrow between Cloud’s eyes ease a bit.</p><p>Cloud drifts as he works. But Andrea does his best not to worry about it. Focusing on doing what he can. It’s nice, really. To have something concrete he can do to help. He rubs Cloud's head for a few long minutes, before shifting his hands down to massage his neck and shoulders. Deep and soothing. He can both feel and see the way Cloud melts a little further into the bed at the touch.</p><p>“Thanks.” Cloud mumbles when Andrea stops. Andrea chuckles softly. He sounds partway to sleep again. Not a bad thing, of course. It means his idea worked.</p><p>“You’re welcome.” Andrea murmurs, leaning a little further over him. Cloud’s eyes are barely slivers of blue. Distant, but peaceful in their daze. “I’m gonna go wrangle up food. You can join me when you like.”</p><p>Cloud hums in agreement. Soft and quiet. Andrea smiles at the sound, bending to kiss Cloud’s forehead gently before he climbs off the bed and slips out of the room. Closing the door so his banging around won’t disturb the other.</p><p>Andrea briefly considers just warming up what’s left of their take-out but decides against it just as fast. He needs to keep his mind and hands busy. So he doesn’t ‘hover’ as Tifa’d warned him not to. Cloud doesn’t need a babysitter after all. Andrea doesn’t want to suffocate him. Especially since the day started out so rough.</p><p>As he goes through his cupboards, pulling random items as they jump out at him, an idea starts to formulate in the back of Andrea’s mind. Oh. Actually that might be fun if Cloud’s up for it. Hmm. Now what did he want to include...?</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>He gets a little carried away perhaps. It’s nearly two hours later Andrea makes his way back to the bedroom. Gently easing the door open and flinching as it squeaks. He really needs to get that sorted out. Not that it matters as Cloud’s apparently already awake. Curled up on his side facing the door so Andrea can see the far away glint of his eyes.</p><p>“Cloud?” Andrea says, moving to kneel beside the bed. Reaching out to brush at his hair. “How’s your head?”</p><p>“Better than it was.” Cloud says, voice a little gravely. Seems like he got at least a little sleep then. Good. Andrea smiles a little at that and tips his head.</p><p>“Do you feel up to coming with me?”</p><p>“Where?”</p><p>“Not far. Just the roof.”</p><p>Cloud considers it for a while. Then he sighs, long and quiet through his nose and nods. Andrea smiles and rises to fetch his jeans for him. Cloud changes, motions slow and almost mechanical. Again Andrea tucks his worries away, slipping into more appropriate attire himself before he takes Cloud’s hand and leads him out of the apartment.</p><p>They skirt around the edge of the building and head up the fire escape. It’s so different from the last time they headed up here. Bright mid-afternoon sunlight in place of starry night.</p><p>“Ta-da!” Andrea says, putting a little flare into gesturing to the little nook he’s set up on the rooftop. He’d hauled up his tall backed kitchen chairs to serve as poles for a makeshift canopy tent, the back of it angled down to drape along the benches. Filled with a layer of comfortable blankets and near every throw pillow he could dig up from around the apartment.</p><p>Andrea’s actually rather proud of it, despite how slap-dash the whole affair is.</p><p>Cloud just sort of. Blinks at it. Then at him. Then it again.</p><p>“What’s this?”</p><p>“We’re having a picnic. It’s far too nice a day to be cooped up inside, don’t you think?” Andrea smiles, not waiting for a response before he pulls Cloud towards it. “Come on.”</p><p>Cloud follows him without a fuss and the two of them park themselves atop the blankets comfortably as Andrea hauls out the multiple containers he’d packed of simple finger foods. Sandwiches of multiple varieties, fruits and vegetables, crackers and cheese and pitcher of water flavoured with hits of citrus.</p><p>He spreads it all out between them, grinning when Cloud arches a brow at it all. The blond reaches, plucking up one of the apple slices Andrea’s cut into little rabbit shapes.</p><p>“Way too much time on your hands.” The ex-merc mutters even as he digs in. Andrea chuckles, something warm and light settling in his chest.</p><p>“Why thank you. I thought they were adorable too.” He says, grabbing one of the sandwich halves and leaning back into the pillows behind him. There’s a flicker on the edge of Cloud’s expression. A silver lining smile that fades all too quick in the warm afternoon. But still. It’s something.</p><p>Cloud doesn’t eat much really, but he does eat. Andrea forces the unease back time and again as he drifts, staring hazily out over the rooftops to the world beyond. But even so, the quiet seems...softer out here. Lesser. The moments he’s ‘gone’ shorter. It’d been a bit of what Andrea’d hoped to achieve coming out here. Remember what Cloud had told him weeks ago over the phone. The way being out in the world eased his troubles a bit. And sure, they’re still in the city, but the sky above them’s got to count for something, right?</p><p>Once they’ve both eaten their fill Andrea shuffles the leftovers out of the way and scoots a bit closer to where Cloud’s settled. Cloud’s tucked himself back into one of the corners, gazing up at the sky. The tips of his messy hair brushing the blanket overhead. Andrea moves so he’s sitting the opposite way of Cloud, so he can see him properly. Slowly, Andrea reaches out, resting his hand over one of Cloud’s. The slender fingers twitch beneath his and Cloud’s eyes flicker to him. Andrea twines their hands lightly</p><p>“How are you?”</p><p>The other frowns a little, gaze dropping as he thinks. He takes in a slow breath and lets it out in a sigh. Cloud nods, faintly. When he looks back at Andrea there’s a little more light in his eyes. A focus like he’s actually seeing Andrea for the first time since they woke up again. “Okay.”</p><p>Andrea smiles a little, squeezing his hand before drifting his fingers up. Running them lightly along his torso before brushing them against his neck. He curls his hand there, feeling Cloud’s pulse, slow and even against the heel of his hand.</p><p>“Good to hear.” Andrea replies, softly brushing his thumb against Cloud’s jaw. Cloud just watches him, quiet and still. Some look in his two-toned eyes that Andrea’s not sure how to place. Andrea doesn’t even realize he’s shifted closer until Cloud catches his hand as it moves to curl against his jaw. Andrea flinches, “Sorry, I-”</p><p>But the other cuts him off, shaking his head and pulling at him gently. Andrea lets him, shifting, but carefully holds himself back from doing more than brush at him with his fingertips. Cloud’s still drifting after all. Still distant and quiet and Andrea doesn’t want to-</p><p>“Eggshells.”</p><p>Andrea blinks at the bizarre non-sequitur. “Huh?”</p><p>But Cloud doesn’t answer him. Just watches him with that faint, stubborn tilt to his expression. Like Andrea should already know what he means. It takes a moment, walking backwards through his memories. Then he stumbles, nearly tripping over the rush of insight. Oh. He remembers the last time Cloud said that to him. Something light, but sheepish curls a smile onto his face.</p><p>“Ah. I see.” Andrea can’t help but chuckle a little as he tips his head. “I’m sorry. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing, isn’t it?”</p><p>Cloud nods, some of the stubbornness fades. Replaced by an apparent relief that Andrea’s understood. Something in Andrea swells, flutters. A touch of pride that he’s learning. That he started to understand. He sees now he’s being unfair. All this tender-footing around an insult to the fact Cloud’s trying to move on. To grasp back some semblance of normalcy. And Andrea’s not helping by treating him as ‘different’ from usual.</p><p>The realization stings a bit, to be sure. But it fits right despite its sharp edges. Settles down in his soul, quietly content. Andrea smiles at Cloud, tugging free of his light grip to run in fingers down the side of his face. Sees how Cloud leans into the touch if only slightly. He knows the question hovering quiet in those eyes.</p><p>“I’d really like to kiss you.” Andrea says. Simple and light and fond. The feeling only grows when Cloud nods. He finds himself still smiling as Cloud let’s him go on to curl a hand into the front of his shirt. Tugging him closer even as their lips meet. Andrea hums at the contact, some knot loosening inside him. Unconscious he slides a hand around to Cloud’s back, pressing to arch him closer.</p><p>Cloud makes a quiet noise, his other hand catches lower in Andrea’s shirt. Moving beneath him slightly. Andrea follows the pull of gravity, realizing what Cloud’s after. The dancer slides his hand up Cloud’s spine, carefully cradling the back of his head as Andrea lays him down.</p><p>As they settle Andrea pulls back a touch. Gazing into those bright, beautiful eyes and actually being seen. A tingle in the base of his spine.</p><p>“Hey.” Cloud’s voice is soft and low, but he actually sounds like himself again. Here and present, not lingering in whatever corner dark corner his mind had wandered into. Andrea’s heart flutters, a warm, calm smile melting over his face.</p><p>“Hello to you too, beautiful.”</p><p>There’s a flicker in those eyes. A hint of a smile. Andrea leans down to kiss him again. Because he can. Because he wants to. Because it’s Cloud. Real and present and here with him in this moment.</p><p>“You know, I meant what I said last night. About being lucky, I mean.” Andrea says, shifting back again to look into Cloud’s eyes. A small furrow nestles itself between them. Andrea smiles a little. “If you’re as different as you say from back when we met, then you caught my eye twice. Most can’t even claim to have done that once.” Andrea shifts his hand from behind Cloud’s head, twisting one of his longer spikes between his fingers. Watching his bright, confused eyes. “So I consider myself very lucky indeed. To have the chance to have met someone as extraordinary you twice over.”</p><p>Cloud’s expression twists faintly, something shivering through his bright eyes. The next moment Andrea nearly falls on him as a pair of strong arms lock around his ribs. Andrea catches himself on a forearm over Cloud’s head, as the other moves to tuck his face against his shoulder. The surprise fades from him quickly when Andrea feels the faint tremors in the hands clutching at his shoulder blades. At the one he can feel running through Cloud’s spine.</p><p>Again there aren’t any tears. No sobs or gasps. But somehow this shaking, desperate quiet hurts just as much. Andrea makes himself breathe through the ache. Slowly. Calmly. An anchor point that Cloud can tie himself to. He settles himself more comfortably over Cloud, shifting his free arm to wrap it under Cloud’s shoulders. Tucking him closer. He feels the hot rush of breath Cloud lets out through his shirt.</p><p>“Andrea-” Cloud’s voice trembles as hard as the rest of him. So much emotion, conflicting and otherwise packed in that it threatens to shatter Andrea’s heart all over again.</p><p>“Easy sweetheart.” Andrea murmurs, low and even in his chest. “I know. It’s alright. We’re alright. I promise.”</p><p>Cloud clutches him tighter. Grip on the edge of bruising perhaps, but Andrea knows that’s not his intent. It’s just Cloud desperately seeking comfort. Something Andrea’s all too happy to give. Murmuring reassuring little nothings into his hair as he rubs slow, deep circles along his back. Keeping Cloud close and safe. Holding on as the maelstrom calms bit by bit.</p><p>When Cloud finally settles enough to pull back, Andrea can see the apology in his eyes before it ever leaves his lips. The dancer reaches, pressing a finger lightly to them and shaking his head. Cloud frowns a touch but the expression fades quickly. His eyes dart a moment, something considering in their depths before he shifts. Tugging at Andrea to brush their lips together again. Voice no more than a breath against Andrea’s skin.</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“-And so did he and his companions tread forth into the vile dragon’s cave. To find the mighty Fafnir’s hoarded treasure and-”</p><p>“Shit that’s terrible. Do people actually believe that?”</p><p>Andrea blinks, glancing over the book cover to the top of Cloud’s golden head, nestled on his lap.</p><p>“Oh, so you are listening.”</p><p>“Barely.” The other grumbles, picking absently at his nails.</p><p>Andrea chuckles, lowering the novel and tipping his head. “What’s so terrible about it anyway?”</p><p>Cloud looks up at him, arching a truly impressive brow. “Uh, because dragons are mean bastards. More likely to actually bite you in half than look at you.”</p><p>The fact that Cloud sounds like he’s speaking from experience is simultaneously thrilling and horrifying.</p><p>“Run into many?”</p><p>“Used to be a bunch of ‘em in the mountains around the village.” Cloud says with a shrug like that’s not one of the most terrifying things Andrea’s ever heard. “Guarantee you the only thing they ‘hoard’ are the bones of idiots stupid enough to wander up there.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, a touch nervously. “Well. I suppose that’s the point of this being a <em> fantasy </em> tale then, hmm?”</p><p>“It’s dangerous. It’s gonna get people killed.”</p><p>“Only if they’re foolish enough to believe it. And I’m sure that’s unlikely.”</p><p>“I can think of a few off the top of my head.” Cloud says around a yawn, stretching his arms over his head. Andrea softens. Setting the book down and reaching to toy with his hair as Cloud blinks, eyes tired as they turn to him.</p><p>“Are you spending the night?” Andrea asks, watching the evening shadows soften Cloud’s features and make his eyes look so bright. He’s been quiet while Andrea read, but the few times the dancer checked on him he’d seemed present enough. Mind no longer running away with him. To places and moments Andrea can hardly even guess at. He catches the lightly concerned look flicker in Cloud’s eyes and smiles. “You’re more than welcome to, if you’d like.”</p><p>Cloud sits up properly, looking out to the horizon before turning back to Andrea. A hint of an actual smile on the edge of his face. “Okay.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help but smile at the quiet delight that curls through him. Warm as the last remnants of sunlight. Together the two of them take down the makeshift little fort, hauling everything back down off the roof and back into Andrea’s apartment.</p><p>“Holy shit- did a Bomb go off in here or something?”</p><p>Andrea blinks and looks up from where he’s settling the pillows back on the couch. Cloud had taken what was left of their picnic into the kitchen and was currently standing in the doorway, staring into the other room.</p><p>Oh. Right. He left a bit of a mess behind hadn’t he? Andrea chuckles, sheepish and hurries over. Wincing as he looks into the kitchen. Okay, yes, maybe he’d underestimated just how...enthusiastic he’d been in getting together their impromptu picnic.</p><p>There’s hardly an inch of space on the island, table or stove top that isn’t home to some poor, sad remains of the various things Andrea threw together. A wild, eclectic scattering of foodstuffs, not all of which had actually made it into their meal.</p><p>“Whoops.” Andrea says with a laugh, scratching absently at his beard. “I suppose I forgot to tidy things up a bit.”</p><p>“Yeah...a <em> bit </em>.”</p><p>Andrea shrugs and tugs at Cloud’s arm. “Ah well, it’ll keep till morning. Let’s-”</p><p>“Hell no.” Cloud says, shortly. “I will have actual nightmares. How the-” Cautiously, Cloud edges into the room, gazing around in distant revulsion. Andrea can’t help himself, fighting hard against a grin, laughter starting to bubble in the back of his throat. Not helped in the least when Cloud looks back at him with wide eyes. “Why the fuck is there <em> jam </em> on the <em> ceiling </em>?”</p><p>Andrea cracks beneath the legitimate horror in Cloud’s outraged voice. Bending double as he laughs long and hard straight from his gut, barely catching himself on the door frame. Cloud keeps staring at him, genuine confusion bright in his eyes. It just trips Andrea into further laughter every time he thinks he might have something of a handle on himself. Cloud gives up on him very quickly, carefully inching his way across the ground, scanning the room like he’s just walked into a battlefield. When he actually starts picking things up though, Andrea blinks. Valiantly choking back his laughter to wave at the other, stepping into the room.</p><p>“Cloud, seriously. You don’t need to do that. I can-”</p><p>“No. You sit. I don’t trust you not to make it worse.” Cloud orders, pointing sternly to one of the chairs he’s left by the doorway. Andrea sinks into it, still snickering. But it’s starting to fade under a warm rush of quiet fondness. Of silent wonder as he watches Cloud move through the space.</p><p>God, it’s unfair how simply, thoughtlessly graceful he is. Even doing silly, mundane nonsense like this. It threatens to stir the embers banked low and quiet in Andrea’s blood.</p><p>It’s stupid. It’s so stupid. Stupid as adventures looking for treasure in dragon infested mountains. Stupid as jam launching to the ceiling.</p><p>But he can’t help it. He’s never been able to help it where Cloud Strife is concerned. So Andrea resigns himself to his fate. Resting his head on his fist and watching Cloud with the moon eyes Claude’s always accusing him of having. Cloud, as usual, doesn’t even notice him staring. Attention turned fully to the task at hand.</p><p>He makes incredibly short work of it all considering what a disaster the kitchen is. Scrubbing countertops and tucking things away back into their proper places- mostly. Washing up containers and setting them with their lids. Finally Cloud grabs a damp washrag and hops up on top of the island so he can properly reach the splattering of raspberry jam on the ceiling.</p><p>As he reaches up to scrub at it, the hem of his shirt rides up a little, exposing an inch or so of smooth skin just above his hip. The heat inside Andrea sparks, bright as he bites at the edge of his lip and gets up. Crossing the space between them in a quiet slap of bare feet. Reaching up to catch Cloud’s waist in both hands, slipping them under his shirt as the other goes to climb down. Cloud starts a little as his touch, looking back over his shoulder down at him.</p><p>“What’re you doing?”</p><p>“Helping.” Andrea says innocently, stroking the warm skin beneath his hands. Cloud sighs.</p><p>“Not really.” He grouses, but lets Andrea pull the rag out of his hand and toss it haphazardly towards the sink. With some careful tugging and shifting, Andrea gets Cloud turned around to face him properly. The blond sits on the edge of the counter, leaning back on his hands, a quiet scowl on his face. “I wasn’t finished.”</p><p>“I know.” Andrea rumbles, peering up at Cloud from beneath his lashes. Squeezing his waist gently between his hands. “But I am.”</p><p>“H-huh?” There’s that sweet note of confusion in Cloud’s voice again. The one that Andrea both loves and hates. Just more proof Cloud has absolutely no idea what he does to him. Simply by being here and present and himself.</p><p>“I’d like very much to take you back to bed.” Andrea rumbles, voice low as he tilts his head, watching those beautiful eyes closely. “Lay you out. Strip you down. Get my mouth on every inch of you.” Ah. There it is. That bright spark in those deep, blue-green jewels. “Would you be alright with that?”</p><p>“Wh-” Cloud looks faintly flabbergasted, torn between desire and confusion. “Did- did you seriously get turned on watching me <em> clean </em>?”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, deep in his chest, “The cleaning had absolutely nothing to do with it, lovely. It’s just you, I fear.” Keeping one hand on Cloud’s waist, he skirts the other up to his face. “You and everything you are.”</p><p>Cloud’s expression flickers, something unreadable passing behind his eyes. His lips part just a touch as Andrea gently sweeps his thumb beneath them. Andrea smiles at him, soft as he presses his thumb to the corner of that sweet mouth.</p><p>“May I? Take you to bed?”</p><p>“Okay.” Cloud’s voice is a gentle, heated whisper. Curling itself through Andrea’s bloodstream.</p><p>“Thank you.” Andrea says as a slightly wicked idea sparks in the back of his mind. He steps forward, Cloud’s legs parting around his waist as Andrea arches up to kiss him. Cloud hesitates a moment then moves, hands falling to rest against the dancer’s shoulders. Andrea smiles as the other bends to meet him. He trails his hands down, slipping them into the back pockets of Cloud’s jeans. The other grunts into his mouth, the sound turning into a gasp as Andrea uses the hold to scoop Cloud up off the counter and into his arms. The ex-merc’s legs instinctively lock around his waist as the dancer steps back. Cloud jerks back and stares at him wide eyed.</p><p>“H-hey! What’re you-”</p><p>“I’m taking you to bed, lovely. Just as I said.”</p><p>“I- okay. But you don’t have to carry me.”</p><p>“I know. I want to.” Andrea says simply, giving the other a causal little shrug. Cloud stares at him, several expressions flickering over his face. Finally he settles on that familiar, begrudging acceptance Andrea knows oh-so-well by now.</p><p>“...F-fine.”</p><p>Andrea beams and presses his lips to the hollow of Cloud’s throat for a moment.</p><p>“Hold on.” He murmurs, something inside him turning over when Cloud immediately shifts to wrap his arms around Andrea’s neck. Hold loose, but firm. Finding his centre and carefully carrying Cloud out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. Cloud fidgets against him a bit, but keeps himself steady.</p><p>The sun’s set now, bathing the room in shadows. Andrea hardly needs light to know where he’s going by now. Plus it lets him see the faint, enticing glow of Cloud’s eyes. So different to the one they’d held that morning. That alone settles something inside Andrea as he presses his lips to Cloud’s jaw, nipping gently at his skin. Smiling at the soft, barely there hum in the back of Cloud’s throat.</p><p>Blindly he finds the edge of the bed, shifting to get a knee up on it as he sends them sprawling to its surface. Catching most of his own weight as he bears Cloud down into the still rumpled covers. Moving to brace his arms on either side of Cloud’s head, Andrea shifts so he can gaze down into those bright eyes.</p><p>“Cloud?”</p><p>“Mmm?”</p><p>“I want you to try and do something for me.” That look of quiet caution kicks up at the edge of Cloud’s eyes, but he nods. Andrea smiles, reaching to stroke Cloud’s cheek, “All I want you to do is tonight is relax. Just relax...” He bends to press his lips to Cloud’s forehead softly as he speaks. “Breathe...” Shifts them to his cheek. “And be in this moment with me.” Then to his other. Lingering a moment before he meets Cloud’s eyes again. “Will you try?”</p><p>“But...” Cloud swallows, a tiny furrow picked out between his eyes. “What about you?”</p><p>Andrea's heart melts a little in his chest. “You don’t worry about that. I want you to focus on you. How you’re feeling. What you’re feeling. What you want...”</p><p>“...And tell you.” Cloud says, quiet. But he’s plucked the thought straight from Andrea’s lips. Andrea smiles, soft and bright. Dips his head to kiss him gently.</p><p>“Mmm. Clever boy.” He hums as they part. “Do you think you can do that for me?”</p><p>“..I...” Cloud swallows, gaze wavering a little. Then he breathes and nods. Just a tiny motion, but it makes Andrea smile. “I’ll...try.”</p><p>“That’s all I ask.” Andrea assures him. He reaches, carefully plucking Cloud’s arms from around his neck. Linking their hands together to press them gently down into the sheets by his head. Cloud let’s him, easily, something like a sigh escaping him as he closes his eyes. His legs slipping from Andrea’s waist to settle on the bed, the dancer nestled between them. Andrea sits back on his heels. Has to take a moment to breath. To take in the sight. Some faded memory plucking at the edges of his mind.</p><p>He needs light. Needs to see Cloud properly. Stretches to flick on the lamp settled on the bedside table. Bites the edge of his lip as the soft glow catches among the silken strands of Cloud’s pale hair, darkening it to a near true golden shade. Catches Cloud watching him silently. Still present. That spark of quiet intent in their depths. Andrea smiles at him.</p><p>“Alright?”</p><p>“Haven’t done anything yet.” Cloud says, half a complaint in the back of his voice. Andrea chuckles.</p><p>“Let’s fix that then, shall we?” Andrea says, and sinks down again to catch Cloud’s lips a deep, probing kiss. Smiling into his mouth as he hears Cloud groan. Andrea eases back a little. Softening his touch. Trailing his hands down, from Cloud’s wrists to his shoulders. Gliding them down Cloud’s torso</p><p>Cloud’s still beneath his hands. Pliant to his touch. Watching Andrea silently. Andrea meets his eyes as he reaches the hem of Cloud’s shirt. He slips just the tips of his fingers beneath it, revelling in the gentle heat of his skin. Andrea tips his head, watching Cloud’s expression. There’s a flicker of confusion in his bright eyes. But then he blinks. Wetting his lower lip briefly.</p><p>“Take it off...” Cloud says, voice low and Andrea smiles.</p><p>“You <em> are </em> a quick learner.” Andrea replies, moving to slide his hands back up Cloud’s chest. Dragging his shirt up slowly. Sliding it over Cloud’s head he meets his eyes. Drawn down like a magnet to kiss him again as he drops the shirt to the side. He slips his hands back to Cloud’s ribs, brushing along the worryingly prominent bone. But Andrea tucks the worry away and focuses on kissing the other thoroughly.</p><p>When he pulls away, Cloud has a touch of color in his cheeks. Breath falling a bit harder. Andrea’s not in much better shape. Andrea brushes their noses together, tender as he meets Cloud’s gaze.</p><p>“I really would like to get my mouth on you.”</p><p>Cloud huffs through his nose. “Then do it.”</p><p>“You want it?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Andrea kisses him again, slow and deep. Tugging gently at Cloud’s lower lip with his teeth as he drifts his focus down to Cloud’s jaw. Grinning at the faint noise Cloud makes. Andrea traces his lips down, following the long, pale line of his throat to his collarbones. Burying his nose in the hollow of Cloud’s throat, he breaths him in. The chemical sharpness of his skin is familiar and intoxicating in a way Andrea can’t quite describe.</p><p>Cloud’s makes a few quiet, half swallowed noises as Andrea moves down his neck. Sweet as they are, Andrea wants to hear him. A thought brews in the back of Andrea’s mind and he lifts his head to meet Cloud’s eyes. Sliding his hands up and cradles Cloud’s jaw briefly. The blond blinks at him,</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“What’re your thoughts on me leaving marks?”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Hickey’s and the like.”</p><p>“O-oh. Uh...” Cloud trails off a moment then nods. Carefully. “’s fine. Just. Not on my neck?”</p><p>“Deal.” Andrea agrees easily. He’d figured as much anyway. Especially given the kid’s presence in his life. Besides. He quite likes the idea of leaving marks on Cloud that only they will know about. It makes something a little dark coil in his gut. Still watching Cloud, he glides his hands up, burying them into his soft hair. “I noticed something last night. It got quite the sweet reaction out of you too. So I’d like to give it another try.”</p><p>“S-sure?”</p><p>Andrea carefully tightens his grip on Cloud’s hair and pulls, slow, but firm. Cloud gasps, a faint choked noise.</p><p>“Oh-”</p><p>Andrea smiles, heated as he watches him. “Did you know about this?”</p><p>Cloud blinks, shaking his head faintly. “Mm mm.”</p><p>“Delightful.” Andrea hums, giving his hair another little tug. Dipping his head to kiss Cloud briefly again. Catching the sweet, surprised noise he makes. “I wonder what else we can find.” He looks down at Cloud. Eye half lidded, voice low and intent. “Should we find out...?”</p><p>“...Yeah.”</p><p>Heat flows through Andrea. He catches his lip between his teeth. Trying failing to hide a grin at the faint, wondering excitement in Cloud’s voice. An echo of it tripping through his blood.</p><p>“I am going to have so much fun with you, beautiful.”</p><p>It’s the last warning Andrea gives Cloud before he pulls at his hair again arching his neck slightly. He bends to bite at Cloud’s collarbone. A sharp touch of teeth before he sucks at the pale skin.</p><p>“Hngh-!”</p><p>Andrea groans at the sweet sound of Cloud’s voice. Nothing else gets to him in quite the same way. He wants to hear more. More and more until he drowns in it. Andrea drops one hand to stroke his thumb across Cloud’s nipple. Slow and purposeful. Teasing out another groan from the blond’s throat. Which pitches into a startled cry when Andrea pinches it sharp between his fingers.</p><p>“Too much?” He asks, pulling back to eye the slowly darkening mark he left behind on Cloud’s skin. Cloud shakes his head quickly, the motion making Andrea pull at his hair again. Which makes Cloud huff through his nose.</p><p>Andrea releases his hold on Cloud’s hair. Carding his fingers through it slowly to soothe him. Cloud tips his head to look at him, the flush on his face even more evident now. A faint furrow settles between his eyes.</p><p>“Why’d you stop...?” Andrea blinks, then chuckles deep in his chest. Cloud prickles. “What?”</p><p>“Nothing.” Andrea assures him, “I just want to get my hands on you.”</p><p>Andrea drops his hands to grip Cloud’s waist and bows his head. Dragging his tongue slowly over Cloud’s chest. Glancing up to watch Cloud’s expression as he sucks his nipple into his mouth. Cloud’s mouth drops, a ragged moan tripping itself out over his tongue as his head rolls sideways into the bed. His hands twist into the covers by his head.</p><p>Andrea groans as he pulls back. “I will <em> never </em> get over how wonderfully sensitive you are.” Cloud bites his lower lip, shivering as Andrea blows cool air across the tender skin. Just further illustrating Andrea’s point. “Mmm...pretty boy.”</p><p>Cloud shudders again, the faintest hint of a whimper the back of his throat. Andrea smiles at the reaction. He can’t help giving Cloud one final lick before he shifts his attention to the other side.</p><p>As ever, the sight of the round scar maring Cloud’s flesh gives Andrea pause. But it’s getting easier to push the quiet horror back. Easy enough now that he can dip his head and press his lips to it gently. Cloud’s breath hitches in his chest, just the faintest note of surprise and Andrea can feel himself being watched. He glances up, pulling back just enough to speak.</p><p>“Alright?”</p><p>Andrea’s not quite sure how to label the expression on Cloud’s face. So he doesn’t try to, especially as Cloud nods, slow but firm. Andrea smiles at him briefly before he leans down to kiss the old wound again.</p><p>Cloud’s <em> far </em> less sensitive on this side. Nerve damage and scar tissue. But even so, Andrea can feel the faint kick of his heart beneath his touch. Probably a more emotional reaction than a physical one. But it still settles something warm deep down inside Andrea’s heart. He takes just as much time worshipping the ruined flesh. Perhaps even more so by the time he starts to shift his attention further. Shifting his hands down lightly along Cloud’s ribs to his lean waist.</p><p>Cloud huffs a little. That soft, breathy edge of a laugh that Andrea swears will one day stop his heart. He glances up at Cloud.</p><p>“Mmm. Someone’s ticklish.”</p><p>“Don’t even fucking think about it.” Cloud says, with such flat seriousness Andrea can’t help laughing.</p><p>“I won’t. I won’t. Promise.” He says, and means it. For now at least. Cloud doesn’t look like he believes him so Andrea shifts. Presses his hands firmly to Cloud’s skin instead of the teasing brushes he’s been using. Dips his head to press his lips to Cloud’s stomach. “Breathe.”</p><p>Cloud does, almost on reflex. Long and slow. Releasing in the same way. A hint of tension bleeding out with it. Andrea smiles, dragging his hands down to toy with Cloud’s waistband. Glancing up at Cloud as he slowly kisses his way down below his belly button. Cloud stares back and Andrea watches him closely as he slips a hand down to press against the bulge of his cock through his jeans. Cloud’s eyes flash, stomach twitching beneath Andrea’s mouth. As before Andrea waits till Cloud finds his voice again. When he does the low, heated rasp of it sends a shiver down Andrea’s spine.</p><p>“Take ‘em off.”</p><p>Andrea plucks at the dark waistband of his boxers peeking out them too. “These too?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Now that is a request Andrea will all too happily fulfill. He sits back on heels, and undoing Cloud’s jeans, hooking his fingers into both them and boxers underneath.</p><p>“Up.” He says quietly, and Cloud raises hips to let Andrea work them down his legs. Proud of himself for only pausing a moment to eye Cloud’s nearly erect cock. Cloud lifts his legs to give Andrea an easier time getting him free of them, something amused on his face as the dancer tosses them to the side.</p><p>Cloud settles before him, knees bent and legs parted. Pliant and lovely. Eyes bright and face flushed and <em> fuck </em>. He has absolutely no idea what he does to Andrea.</p><p>“God, you’re so beautiful.” He breathes, something swelling deep in his chest as he gazes down at Cloud. Andrea can’t help but smile as Cloud looks away. Silly, sweet boy. One day he’ll learn that does exactly nothing to alter Andrea’s affections.</p><p>Andrea finds more scars he doesn’t remember as he runs his hands along Cloud’s legs. The first is on his right foot, near his toes. The next on that same leg, below his knee cap, with the third on his thigh. Each one of them is an oddly straight, clean line. So eerily similar to the one in the centre of Cloud’s chest it turns Andrea’s stomach. Unconsciously he traces the line of them, realizing how horrifyingly well they each line up to each other. Too well to be coincidence. What the hell could’ve caused them?</p><p>Determinedly, Andrea shoves the thoughts away and busies himself tracing the long, toned line of Cloud’s leg with his hands and lips. From his toes all the way up to his hip before switching sides to do the same thing to his left. He finds that Cloud is adorably sensitive- borderline ticklish- behind his knees. And the way his cock twitches and stiffens against his stomach when Andrea drags his hands along those soft inner thighs is absolutely delicious.</p><p>Finished with his explorations, Andrea settles back down between Cloud’s legs. Reaching out to ease Cloud’s legs open further. Getting the blond to settle his feet against Andrea’s back. Sliding his hands along Cloud’s thighs slowly. Pressing deep and gentle into corded muscles. He looks up to meet those beautiful, faintly glowing eyes. Cloud’s been shifting a little beneath his ministrations and now he’s propped himself up. Andrea can see the faintly uncertain look on his face. That faint, sharp touch of something like guilt. That won’t do.</p><p>“Remember,” He says, voice soft as he watches Cloud’s face. “All you need to do is relax.”</p><p>“...I-” Cloud swallows, eyes darting for a moment before he sighs. “You sure?”</p><p>“I am.” Andrea smiles at him. God help him. He’s not going to survive how utterly, unexpectedly sweet this boy is. “Lie back for me?”</p><p>Cloud does, slowly, hands falling to rest at his sides.</p><p>“Good.” Andrea says, sliding his hands up to cradle Cloud’s sharp hips. “Deep breath.”</p><p>Cloud’s hands twitch a little, but then he does, holding it for a moment before letting it out. Andrea’s heart shudders in his chest.</p><p>“Again.”</p><p>He can see Cloud’s eyes slip closed this time, drawing in another slow, deep breath. Holds it. Lets it out.</p><p>“Once more.”</p><p>Andrea takes this one with him. Though his own shudders as he sees Cloud melt into the bed. Everything about him is soft and beautiful. Andrea has to swallow around a sudden lump in his throat.</p><p>“Perfection.” He murmurs, bowing his head to press his lips to the head of Cloud’s erection. He can feel Cloud shiver beneath him, a quiet breath escaping the other as Andrea traces his lips down the shaft. Cloud jerks as Andrea dips his head to mouth at his balls.</p><p>“Shit-” Cloud gasps, a wonderful noise that makes Andrea hum in his chest as he squeezes Cloud’s hips.</p><p>“Easy.” Andrea murmurs. Breathing in the faint musk of Cloud’s skin. Intoxicating and heady. Waiting until Cloud settles again with a tremble. Then he shifts a hand, pressing two fingers to Clouds perineum. Circling them slowly against the heated skin. Carefully increasing the pressure as he listens to Cloud’s breath picking up.</p><p>“Oh...” The other breathes, voice shivering. “Oh shit...w-what-” Cloud shudders, cock starting to leak beautifully from where it’s resting against his abdomen.</p><p>“Does it feel good?” Andrea rumbles, still nosing at the base of Cloud’s cock.</p><p>“I-I...hnn-” The blond’s voice hitches as Andrea presses a little more firmly to his perineum. “Shit- yeah.”</p><p>Andrea grins, teasing Cloud a little more. The fires in his gut roaring quietly as he watches Cloud slowly lose himself to sensation. Rolling and pressing back into Andrea’s touches. Wide eyes fluttering. A stream of beautiful noises escaping him.</p><p>“Andrea-” Cloud breathes. His voice wonderfully rough in his throat. A shudder trips down Andrea’s spine and he can’t help himself any more. Pressing his tongue to the base of Cloud’s cock and dragging it all the way up to the head in a long, slow, smooth motion.</p><p>“F-uck!” Cloud voice breaks. Andrea can see his stomach clench, hands twisting into the covers as he fights the urge to thrust up into the touch.</p><p>“Mmm good boy.” Andrea purrs, a shot of pure fire racing down into his gut as Cloud shudders and whines in his chest. A fresh bubble of precum leaking from the head of his cock. Andrea catches it as he drags his tongue along it again. Groaning at the taste and the way Cloud twitches.</p><p>“Andrea...” Cloud pants, a shuddering undercurrent of need in his voice. “Andrea-”</p><p>“What do you want, lovely?” Andrea hums, mouthing at the leaking, shiny head before him. “Tell me. Whatever it is.”</p><p>“I-” Cloud’s legs twitch sharply on either side of Andrea. He can see a tremor starting to build up in those strong, lean muscled thighs. “I- I want-”</p><p>Again Cloud’s train of thought breaks before he can give voice to it. His hips rolling beneath Andrea’s grip. Andrea squeezes his hip, voice a low, deep rumble. “I’ll give it to you. You just have to say it.”</p><p>Andrea flicks his tongue against Cloud’s cock head. Rapid, teasing touches that make Cloud jerk beneath him. Make the breath catch high in his chest. Chasing his voice out in a high, needy cry.</p><p>“I- oh <em> fuck </em> -!” Cloud’s voice cuts out with a wet, desperate gasp as he shudders. Involuntary and beautiful for it. Cloud pants, chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath. “I-I want. <em> Haaah </em> ! You. Y-your mouth- <em> fuck </em> Andrea-” His names cracks on a desperate sob as Cloud’s head arches back. “P- <em> please </em>-!”</p><p>Andrea has no idea what kind of sound tears itself from his chest at that. At the gasping, helpless plea. It sinks under his skin and ignites his blood. A match to dry tinder. His cock strains in his pants for a breathless moment and he shudders. A sudden, wildfire burst of need threatening to rip right through his senses. It’s not even a desire for himself. But a need to push Cloud further into the depths of ecstasy. To pull more terribly, wonderfully gorgeous sounds from his lips.</p><p>All Andrea knows for certain is the absolute need for <em> more </em>.</p><p>He shifts, bracing an arm across Cloud’s waist, pinning him to the bed as Andrea sinks down over Cloud’s erection. Taking him deep in a single, fluid movement. Groaning as Cloud shouts and writhes beneath him. Lean muscles flexing and straining, heels digging near to bruising against Andrea’s back. Andrea takes it all in stride. Continuing to massage Cloud’s perineum with tight, deep circles. Holding Cloud deep in his mouth and teasing out ever more incredible sounds as he sucks at him with long, slow pulls. Or lavs at him with his tongue.</p><p>It doesn’t take long.</p><p>He feels Cloud reach for his head, fingers grasping at his scalp, scrabbling in his short cropped hair. But when he can’t get a decent grip, he rips his hands away again. Andrea looks up to see Cloud sink them into his own sweat damp locks. Tugging at them sharply as he gasps and cries out. Mindless strings of pleas and fragments of Andrea’s name.</p><p>“<em> Fuck </em> -! Don’t stop. A- Andrea- Don’t stop- <em> please </em>!”</p><p>Andrea nearly chokes around Cloud’s cock. Sinking down to let him brush the back of his throat.</p><p>Cloud’s voice shatters into nothingness. A fierce, full body shiver wracking through him before every inch of him locks into tense, sharp lines as he cums.</p><p>Andrea drinks every last drop. Only pulling back as Cloud begins to soften. Gently cleaning him with his tongue until Cloud’s shaking and whimpering high in his throat. Too worn out to pull away. Then finally, Andrea leaves him be, moving to lean over Cloud. He has his hands over his face, and Andrea reaches to gently coax them down.</p><p>Andrea leans down, shifting to cradle Cloud’s head between his hands like he were made of porcelain. Brushing his thumbs along those flushed features. With a shuddering sigh Cloud’s eyes flutter open. Those wide, beautiful glowing jewels meet his head on. Shimmering wetly as Cloud stares at him. Aware  and vibrant. Full of life. Entirely present.</p><p>Andrea’s never- <em> never </em>- seen anything more beautiful. Feels the reflexive burn of tears at the back of his own eyes.</p><p>“There you are.” Andrea murmurs. Tender and proud as he leans to press their foreheads together. “There you are, my darling Cloud.”</p><p>Something a touch desperate twists Cloud’s expression. Something bright and burning and beautiful. Andrea’s heart trembles beneath his ribs. Pounding and aching all at once. He can’t stop the slow crawl of a smile over his lips.</p><p>“I see you.” Andrea whispers. “You’re here. You’re right here with me.”</p><p>“I-I’m here.” Cloud’s voice is a raspy shudder. Barely a whisper of sound but it punches straight through Andrea to his heart. “I’m with you.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Sunlit Secrecy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Avasti is a lovely rose who sits among the garden of this absolute mess. ;)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>You there?</b>
</p><p>It’s probably more than a little sad that something as simple as that can put such a smile on Andrea’s face. He scoops up his phone and hurries to answer Cloud.</p><p>
  <b>What can I do for you?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Taking Marlene on a flower run tomorrow</b>
</p><p>
  <b>wanna come?</b>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p><b>Sounds fun.</b> <b>I’d love to- if she doesn’t mind, of course.</b></p><p>
  <b>She likes you.</b>
</p><p>Andrea blinks then smiles, soft and wondering. How like Cloud. To put things so bluntly and simply. Saying so much with so little.</p><p>
  <b>Meet at SH round 9?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>I’ll be there!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>K</b>
</p><p>“Sooo? How’s Cloud?”</p><p>Andrea blinks up at Claude as the other approaches, handing him his requested iced tea. Andrea takes it and sips at it idly just to make his friend wait a moment. Claude rolls his eyes and waves a hand at him, lime green nails glinting wetly in the afternoon light.</p><p>“Fine let me guess.” Parking himself in the chair opposite Andrea, Claude pitches his voice to an absolutely sickly sweet coo. “Oh he’s <em> wonderful. </em> Those pretty eyes and <em> oooh </em> when he smiles the sun can’t compete.” Andrea chuckles a little. Claude’s not wrong there. But then Claude gets a conspiratorial look on his face. “And Oh. My. God. You should see him on my sheets-”</p><p>Andrea about chokes on his next sip, staring at his friend, “Excuse me!?”</p><p>“Andi. Please. The first time you <em> ever </em> saw that boy you eye-fucked him on stage. Not that big of a leap.” Claude cradles his cheek in his hand, beaming, one perfectly sculpted brow arched, “Or am I wrong?”</p><p>“I really don’t need you speculating about my sex life, thanks.”</p><p>“Not speculation if it’s truuue~” Claude chimes, taking a sip of his drink. Andrea just rolls his eyes and pointedly turns in his chair to face away from Claude. Not that it stops him from snickering and making really, really terrible innuendos. At least he keeps them under his breath.</p><p>Andrea tunes him out for the most part. Gazing up at the cloudy blue sky above. His mind turns over and over. Thoughts of nothing and everything. Of being touched that Cloud reached out to contact him. That he’d been listening yesterday afternoon when Andrea had been rambling away and reading out of his gardening book.</p><p>“You really love him, don’t you?” The words, as well as Claude’s suddenly sincere and quiet voice, catch Andrea’s attention immediately. He jerks back around to look at his friend, who’s watching him with a bit of a furrow to his brow.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t know what to say. Because. Well. It’s true. Andrea knows it is. Feels it hovering like the dawn in his heart. Bright and new and only growing stronger as time goes on. As the hours and days drift by. Too quick and impossibly slow. But saying it out loud, now, here, feels like too much. To put those words and intentions out into the ether without Cloud being the one to hear them.</p><p>It feels...</p><p>Wrong.</p><p>“Oh. Andi-” Claude’s suddenly reaching across the table, dabbing at Andrea’s cheeks with a napkin. Andrea hadn’t even realized he was crying. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong.” Andrea’ says quickly. Voice weirdly rough and he clears his throat. He takes the other napkin Claude offers and blots carefully at his eyes. “Apologies. I...don’t know what came over me.”</p><p>“Are things okay...?”</p><p>“Yes. Yes things are fine. Better than.” Andrea says, nodding. The image of Cloud gazing up at him with wide, shining, beautiful eyes swims to crystal clear focus in his head for the dozenth time since last night. The quietly whispered words ringing sweetly in his ears. God, he can feel the stupid, besotted look on his face right now.</p><p>“That’s good to hear. Otherwise as your best friend I’d have to...I dunno. I definitely couldn’t kick his ass. But I would have very strong words.”Claude says, pointing sternly at his phone. Then his exaggerated frown vanishes behind a warm smile. “I’m happy for you, Andi.”</p><p>“Hmm. Thank you.”</p><p>“Well, I hate to dine and dash, but not all of us are off Narisa’s manicured claws. I’ve got to be getting back.” Claude says with a sigh, glancing at his watch as he gets to his feet. Andrea follows suit, giving his old friend a hug and waving him off.</p><p>“I’ll be back in the studio after tomorrow. So hang in there.”</p><p>“Sure, leave me to the wolves.” Claude laments with a grin hurrying off down the street. “Have fun tomorrow, whatever you’re doing!”</p><p>“Oh I’m sure I will.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Fenrir’s parked out front of Seventh Heaven when Andrea arrives a little before nine. Only Cloud’s legs are visible from where he’s parked on his back underneath it. Andrea can hear him tinkering with something, a few clinks and clanks as Cloud curses under his breath.</p><p>“Having trouble?” Andrea calls as he gets closer.</p><p>“Tune up.” Cloud answers, voice oddly muffled. “Pass me that screwdriver?”</p><p>Andrea looks along the ground. There’s at least five different ones scattered haphazardly across the ground. “Umm...”</p><p>“Second biggest one.”</p><p>Andrea scoops it up and places it into the hand Cloud holds out from under the bike. There’s a quiet grunt that could probably pass as a ‘Thanks’. Andrea decides to take it as such, perching on the steps to watch.</p><p>It only takes Cloud a few more minutes of fussing. Though he does seem to have some rather choice words for his precious bike before the end of it. Andrea chuckles a little, head resting in hand as Cloud finally shimmy’s back out. The blond sighs, lingering on his back a minute, rolling his head to glance at Andrea.</p><p>“Hey.”</p><p>The smile that melts over Andrea’s face is ridiculously soft. He can feel it. He doesn’t give a shit. It’s Cloud after all. And he looks very much himself today.</p><p>“Good morning, beautiful.”</p><p>Cloud rolls back to his feet, wiping his oil and dirt speckled hands off on a rag he’s got tucked into the belt of his pants. He’s got his usual ‘work’ attire on today, minus the shoulder guard. Andrea will never complain about the chance to ogle those lovely arms of his so he can’t complain. Especially as Cloud moves around, tidying up the ground and tucking everything away into a slightly beat up toolbox.</p><p>“Where are the kids?”</p><p>“Denzel’s at a sleepover. Marlene’s...supposed to be down here already.” Cloud says with a sigh, scooping up the tool box and heading up the stairs beside Andrea. As he passes Andrea reaches out and catches his nearest wrist. The blond pauses, blinking over at him. Andrea just smiles at him and pulls his hand over to kiss the back of it lightly before letting him go again.</p><p>“Missed you.” He says simply to the confused expression on Cloud’s face. He starts to get to his feet when that same hand curls against his cheek. It’s his turn to be surprised as he’s turned back and, in a characteristically dexterous move, Cloud leans down to kiss him. Andrea hums into the gentle gesture, pressing back into Cloud’s touch slightly. There’s something like a smile in those lidded, beautiful eyes as Cloud pulls back just enough to speak.</p><p>“If you’re gonna do it, do it properly.” Cloud murmurs. Andrea’s heart shivers in his chest at the gentle warmth of Cloud’s voice, tucked just under the usual put upon annoyance. The blond kisses him once more, just a glancing brush as he straightens up. “Missed you too.”</p><p>Cloud slips away to vanish into Seventh Heaven proper, voice echoing over the bell. “Marlene? C’mon. Let’s go.” Andrea’s can only be glad for the brief moment of respite as he wrestles with himself again. With the warmth in his chest that threatens to have him crying for no reason for the second time in as many days.</p><p>Thankfully Andrea gets himself back in hand before Cloud shows up again. He’s carrying a small box with faded, decorative filigree lining the edges. He tucks it away into the compartment under the seat and tugs on his customary gloves. A moment later there’s footsteps inside. The bell ringing brightly as Marlene rushes out.</p><p>“Hi Andi!” She says as soon as she spots him.</p><p>“Good morning, Marlene dear. Thanks for letting me tag along.”</p><p>“You’re welcome.” Marlene says with her infectious smile. She hands the small bag she’s carrying to Cloud and he tucks it away under the seat, passing her a kid sized helmet in return. Marlene pouts a bit even as she takes it.</p><p>“Not optional.” Cloud replies without looking at her as he closes the seat again. Marlene puts it on with a sigh. Cloud checks over the chin strap, making sure it’s done up properly. “That everything?”</p><p>“Yep!” Marlene chirps, smile back in a heartbeat.</p><p>Cloud nods and boosts her up onto Fenrir, making sure she’s settled before he climbs on behind her. It would be an absolute lie for Andrea to say the image doesn’t make his heart melt more than a little. He probably has the dopiest smile on his face. Which explains Cloud’s brief look of confusion when he glances over.</p><p>“You coming?”</p><p>Andrea shakes himself out of it and slings himself up onto Fenrir behind Cloud. Settling in comfortably as he grabs the handles. Probably best if he doesn’t ride in his usual way with Marlene here. There’s a flash of movement as Cloud reaches behind him, a pair of goggles in hand.</p><p>“You’re gonna want these.”</p><p>Andrea takes him at his word and settles them comfortably on his face. Fussing with them to make them fit right. Once he’s got he pats Cloud’s shoulder. “Ready when you are.”</p><p>Cloud nods and tilts his head to look down at Marlene.</p><p>“We hitting Elmyra’s or the church?”</p><p>“Umm...” Marlene hums, a note of careful hope in her voice as she continues. “Can we do both?”</p><p>“We’ll see. Pick one first.”</p><p>“The church!”</p><p>At her word Cloud starts the engine, Fenrir roaring to life beneath them. A little thrill kicks up in Andrea’s gut as it always does as Cloud heads out into the streets beyond. He actually is an incredibly good driver- even if he does probably violate a few traffic laws in the process. Still, Andrea can tell Cloud’s being extra careful with their other passenger aboard. Unsurprising of course, but still incredibly sweet in Andrea’s eyes.</p><p>The route they take is clearly a familiar one. Edge’s tall, haphazard buildings quickly melt away as they speed through the streets, heading for Midgar’s looming silhouette. He catches brief moments of Marlene chattering away at Cloud over the wind and the purr of the engine.</p><p>The trek across the spit of land that separates Edge from Midgar is an exceptionally short one. Cloud kicking up the speed once they hit the flat, dying earth. Leaving a billowing stream of dust flying behind them. They race towards the dead city, in the direction of what was once Sector Five. They follow a clearly well worn path down the steady incline and the shadow of what’s left of the Plate blankets their journey in large swaths.</p><p>It’s...a very strange feeling. Looking around and seeing nothing but rubble, debris and twisted husks of buildings. To think about and remember these streets and places as his lifelong home. Something unsettling twists through Andrea’s gut. They ease around another corner and Andrea can’t help the quiet gasp that escapes him.</p><p>Compared to the absolute wanton destruction of the surrounding area, the church is remarkably untouched. Missing a turret near the front, a large, gaping hole on one side of the roof and part of the east wall collapsed near the back. But despite that it’s still one of the most beautiful buildings Andrea’s ever laid eyes on A beacon, upon which the sunlight streams down to illuminate the pale stone.</p><p>Cloud brings them to a halt relatively close to the entrance. Andrea hops off first, followed by Cloud who lifts Marlene down off the bike carefully. He pops the seat open and hands Marlene the small bag she’d given him earlier. She turns and sprints off towards the entrance. Andrea’s a little surprised that Cloud lets her go so easily. But there’s something in the air here. Something...tranquil.</p><p>“You okay?” Cloud asks, glancing at Andrea as he riffles through the bike seat. Andrea starts, realizing he’d been staring out over the destruction again.</p><p>“Mm. Yes.” He nods, humming a little absently. “...It’s my first time being back.”</p><p>Understanding flickers over Cloud’s face and he nods silently. He picks up the box he’d brought from Seventh Heaven and tips his head towards the church. “You wanna come in?”</p><p>Andrea has the funniest feeling that if he said no Cloud would wait with him. The idea alone makes him smile.</p><p>“I’d love to.”</p><p>If Andrea thought outside the church was peaceful, it’s nothing compared to the nearly overwhelming feeling that washes over him the moment he sets foot through the entrance.</p><p>The wooden floorboards creak beneath their feet as they walk. Dappled by colored light from the myriad of windows lining either side of the church. There’s the remains of pews, and one of the towering columns scattered over the floor. broken and pushed up to the sides to clear space. The floor at the back of the church is gone. Consumed by a wide pool of water that casts shimmering reflections all throughout the shadows. Scattered through with white and yellow flower petals from the few he can see blooming along the far back wall.</p><p>And there too sits Cloud’s old sword. A silent, gleaming sentinel for this miraculous place.</p><p>“Oh my god...” Andrea breaths as he looks around. His heart feels simultaneously heavy and light all at once. Certainly in danger of the waterworks kicking in. Again.</p><p><em> Shit </em>.</p><p>He lags behind Cloud a few steps as the other heads deeper into the room. Mostly just to give himself time to breath and rally his emotions. He manages it, if only barely.</p><p>Cloud pauses by Marlene where she’s happily crouched by the flowers. Andrea can hear her humming to herself and the sound puts a smile on his face. The girl glances up at Cloud, smiling and nodding at whatever he’d said. Cloud returns the nod and carefully eases past her, stepping onto the little platform the sword’s resting on. The blond hesitates for a moment, something quiet- almost reverent- in his stance before he reaches out to pick it up. He skirts around the other edge of the pond, parking himself in one of the still intact benches. Leaning the heavy slab of iron against his knees, tip against the floor. Silently, Andrea edges around it and takes a seat on the bench beside him.</p><p>“That’s a familiar sight.” He says, gesturing to the weapon when Cloud looks up at him. The blond hums quietly under his breath, setting the ornate little box between them and popping open the lid. Inside is a variety of things. A few rags, and bottles of various liquids and polishes. Ah. It must be supplies to clean the blade.</p><p>Cloud gets to work, tracing through all the decorative grooves and Materia slots carefully. It’s clearly a long held, carefully kept ritual. He doesn’t seem to really even have to think about what he’s doing. An empty peace on his pretty face. Andrea just settles back to watch, attention drifting between Cloud, Marlene and the general space around them.</p><p>“It’s....”</p><p>Andrea starts a little at Cloud’s quiet voice. Sudden after such a long lapse. He glances away from where he’d been watching sunlight dance across the water's surface. Cloud looks like he’s done caring for the old sword, twisting it this way and that, checking it over.</p><p>“It’s my ‘rose’, I guess.”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>Cloud reaches with his free hand and gestures absently behind his ear. <em> Oh. </em> Andrea realizes he’s referring to his tattoo. “My reminder. Of who I’m supposed to be. What I’m supposed to do...” Cloud trails off. A strange light in his eyes. Something focused, yet distant. There’s a brief flicker of an uneasy furrow on his brow before a quiet, but determined fire ignites in his gaze. “Right.”</p><p>Tucking the supplies back into the box, Cloud gets to his feet, sword in hand. He carries it back to its resting place. But before he puts it back he pauses. Gripping the handle with both hands Cloud raises it before him pointing it towards the sky above. He lets out a breath that sinks his shoulders, bowing his head, forehead pressing to the dark, gleaming surface for a moment.</p><p>A shudder runs down Andrea’s spine and he almost has to look away. There’s a strange sort of intimacy in Cloud’s posture. That same, quiet reverence to the gesture. Something ritual to the careful way he returns the sword to its proper place.</p><p>Andrea knows this is another of Cloud many, many untold stories. And something about this one...<em> hurts </em>. In a way he can’t describe.</p><p>“You mind keeping an eye on Marlene? I gotta make a call.” Cloud asks as he comes back over, low enough that the girl’s unlikely to hear it.</p><p>“Of course not.” Andrea says. It hardly seems like Marlene needs much looking after anyway. Still, there’s that quiet flicker of unease in Cloud’s face again. Andrea straightens up a little. “...Is everything alright?”</p><p>“Yeah. Just something I need to take care of.” Cloud says, turning to walk towards the entrance. Already pulling his phone from his back pocket “Back in a minute.”</p><p>Andrea doesn’t mean to eavesdrop. Doesn’t mean to pry and listen into something that doesn’t concern him. But he can’t help the way his ear turns to Cloud’s quiet voice as he cradles the phone to his ear. Andrea only catches a fragment of a sentence as Cloud slips away, but it unsettles something deep inside his heart.</p><p>“<em> I’m in- </em>”</p><p>Biting at his lip, Andrea pushes himself up and wanders towards where Marlene is still happily tending to the smattering of flowers. Somehow they look even more lovely than they did when their group arrived. Marlene certainly has a talent.</p><p>“This place is beautiful.” He says, quietly conversational as he stops a little ways away from her. Marlene nods, not looking at him as she answers.</p><p>“Yeah. It’s really special cuz it was her’s.”</p><p>There’s a touch of melancholy in Andrea’s breast when he realizes he knows who she means.</p><p>“You mean Aerith.”</p><p>“Mmm hmm.”</p><p>Andrea hums absently, focus drifting back to the glittering waters. There’s something odd about it. Something like light shimmering in their depths, but not sunlight. Curious Andrea crouches down and reaches out to brush his fingers through its surface.</p><p>Something very strange happens.</p><p>A feeling bleeds through the back of his mind. A flicker of color and sound. Hazy and nondescript as it ripples out. None of it lasts long enough for him to focus on anything. Just flashes of gold, silver, black and red. A sound like tearing thunder rolling low and deep to hover painfully in his chest. Something like a voice, soft and distantly familiar as it whispers words Andrea can’t hear.</p><p>Andrea comes back to himself with a start, pulling his hand from the water and staring at it.</p><p>“What...?”</p><p>“It’s a gift.” Andrea’s attention jerks up and he sees Marlene watching him, a smile on her young face. “From her and the Planet. To heal everyone’s Geostigma.”</p><p>A vague, distant memory blossoms in Andrea’s head. Remembering the day the Stigma had vanished. The unusual, daylight rainfall after the darkness had faded. He hadn’t thought there’d been enough to fill a basin this size though. Remembers the ‘storm’ being over nearly as quickly as it started.</p><p>Andrea supposes the water having unusual properties makes sense given its origin. But even so, the hair on the back of his neck raises. He peers down into the shimmering pool again. To that strange, almost greenish glow deep below its surface. What the hell had he seen-</p><p>“And it brought Cloud back to us.”</p><p>Marlene’s happy tone does nothing to stop the strange foreboding that ripples itself over Andrea’s skin like goosebumps. Does nothing to stop his mind from leaping to quiet horror at the implication.</p><p>“What-?”</p><p>There’s a loud creak of wood and heavy footsteps behind them. They both turn to see Cloud approaching. Andrea can’t help but think he looks a little paler. A little distant. Some shadow hovering around his eyes. But the look near vanishes when he glances up to see them.</p><p>“What’re you talking about?” Cloud asks as he comes closer, stopping close to where Andrea is. Marlene jumps up, smiling at her guardian brightly.</p><p>“I was telling Andi about the water and how it cured you and Denzel and everybody else, too.”</p><p>“Oh you were, huh?” Cloud says, glancing towards the water then to Andrea with a shrug. “She’s not wrong. We got lucky.”</p><p>“I think the Planet was happy. That’s why it helped.”</p><p>Clearly Cloud’s not expecting Marlene’s sunny words. He blinks up at her, blue-green eyes wide. “Hmm?”</p><p>“Cuz you stopped him again, Cloud.”</p><p>Marlene goes about gathering her things, so Andrea’s the only one who sees the subtle, but rapid fire twist of emotions that flicker dark through Cloud’s eyes. A haze of surprise, hurt, worry and touch of fear. Everything inside Andrea twists at the sight. Especially as Cloud turns to look up, to some distant, unseeable place above them. A furrow on his brow, heavy before he takes a breath. Andrea can see him all but physically tuck away the reaction as he turns to Marlene again as she stands up.</p><p>“All done here?”</p><p>The girl beams and nods,</p><p>“Yeah. They’re tough so they’re doing good.”</p><p>Something old, fond and a touch painful flickers through Cloud’s eyes.</p><p>“Hm. Yeah.” He reaches out and rests a hand on Marlene’s head briefly. “Still wanna go to Elmyra’s?”</p><p>Marlene lights up even more somehow. “Can we?”</p><p>“Sure. We’ve got time.”</p><p>“Yeah!”</p><p>Marlene dashes past them both, hurrying along the creaking floor towards the doorway. Cloud watches her scamper ahead, a touch of a smile hovering on the fringes of his expression.</p><p>“Don’t go too far. You know the rules.”</p><p>“’Kay!” She shouts back as she slips out the door. Andrea gets to his feet as Cloud looks back at him. Something a little sheepish in his eyes.</p><p>“Sorry. I didn’t ask. Do you mind?”</p><p>“Not at all.” Andrea says immediately. Reaching out, he rests a hand against Cloud’s upper arm as he nods and turns away. “Cloud?”</p><p>The blond blinks and looks back at him immediately. “Yeah?”</p><p>“Are you alright?”</p><p>“...Yeah.” There’s a moment in between him answering and in it Andrea catches a flicker of surprise. And something he can’t name. But there’s a touch of his sunrise smile in his eyes as he nods, a little more certainly. “Yeah. I’m fine.”</p><p>Andrea doesn’t know why the gesture just makes him feel more uneasy. It’s strange. A sense of prickling foreboding still crawling along his spine. Something that feels especially wrong in this place. Cloud’s expression flickers. That familiar knot of concern nestling itself between his eyes.</p><p>“Are you?”</p><p>“I...” Andrea’s torn. Torn because on one hand he doesn’t want to make Cloud worry. But that already seems like something of a lost cause. But on the other, if he opens up about his troubles, hazy and uncertain as they are, then maybe- just maybe- he can convince Cloud to do the same. “I’m not sure.”</p><p>Cloud immediately turns around to look at him properly, taking a cautious step closer. The concern in his eyes only deepens. As well as a touch of something bright like determination hovering in the back of his eyes. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>“I...don’t really know how to describe it.” Andrea says, slowly, but truthfully. “Just a strange feeling I have. While you were away and Marlene and I were talking, I got curious. Touched the water.” Andrea frowns a little as he tries to dig up the hazy sensation that’s only slipping further and further away with his efforts, “I thought I...saw something. Heard someone.”</p><p>“Saw...what, exactly?” Cloud doesn’t sound dismissive of the idea at all. Which honestly surprises Andrea enough that he looks back into those bright two-toned eyes.</p><p>“I...don’t know. It was hazy. Just...colors. And sounds? But they were more like. Feelings? Than anything concrete. It was very odd.”</p><p>Cloud nods, still quietly serious, gaze drifting up towards the bright patch of sky above them. He’s quiet for a few moments before he sighs.</p><p>“Heh. Maybe it was Planet.” Cloud says absently, only sounding like he’s half joking. He’s looking towards the water now, something distant in his eyes. When he looks back at Andrea finally the furrows shifted to a gentle kind of worry. “I-”</p><p>“Cloud! C’mon aren’t we going?”</p><p>Marlene’s voice echoes through the hall, cutting deep into whatever Cloud had been going to say. The blond blinks, sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He eyes Andrea for a moment then jerks his head towards the door.</p><p>“Duty calls.” He says, a touch wry. Andrea finds it in himself to chuckle a little at the gentle roll of those lovely eyes. The dancer nods,</p><p>“Right. Mustn’t keep her waiting.”</p><p>“Don’t I know it.” Cloud mutters. But he still doesn’t make a move to turn away yet. Hovering in front of Andrea, worry still shadowing the corners of his expression. “You gonna be okay?”</p><p>Andrea can’t help the sickly, soft smile that melts over his face. God, Cloud is so bad- so good- for his heart. He reaches out and catches one of Cloud’s hands, as he nods.</p><p>“Mm. I’ll be fine. The walk will do me good I’m sure.”</p><p>Cloud watches him, uncertain for another heartbeat before he nods. Squeezing Andrea’s hand back before he pulls away and heads towards where Marlene’s waiting for them impatiently. Andrea takes a step to follow, but pauses. Cloud’s attention is on Marlene now, so he crouches down at the water’s edge again. Reaching out with no small amount of hesitance to sink his fingertips below the surface again.</p><p>But the waters and whatever- or <em> who </em>ever- had ‘spoken’ to him before is silent now.</p><p>“Perhaps it was nothing.” He whispers, sounding as unconvinced to his own ear as he feels. With a sigh Andrea climbs back to his feet and hurries after Cloud and Marlene.</p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>The path they take through the rubble is. Interesting to say the very least. Equal parts scrabbling over piles of scrap metal and following more open, clear paths built by human hands. Some of them from the days when Midgar still stood, but others are clearly newly built. Probably by Cloud as a means to make sure the trip was safe.</p><p>Well. Safe as travelling through a dead city can ever be. Marlene’s adventurous, but she starts to tire a bit as they continue on.</p><p>“Cloud?” She asks, an adorably plaintive note in her voice as they make their way across another series of old storage crates. Cloud glances back at her with a hum. There’s something a little apologetic on his face when she reaches out a hand to him.</p><p>“Sorry kiddo. But I gotta keep an eye out. There’s been monster sightings in the area lately.”</p><p>Indeed before they’d left the church, Cloud had stopped to pick up two of his swords from Fenrir. He has both of them holstered at the moment, but Andrea’s noticed how he’s been carefully watching the area around them.</p><p>“Something the matter?” Andrea asks lightly as he steps up by Marlene.</p><p>“I’m kinda tired.” She says, but then smiles, “But I’ll be okay.”</p><p><em> Oh </em>. Andrea thinks melting a little inside. With a grin, mostly to himself, Andrea hops down in front of her.</p><p>“Well you know, I may not be fine a pack chocobo as our dear Cloud here-”</p><p>“Hey!” Andrea laughs at the absolutely indignant tone in Cloud’s voice. And promptly ignores it as he smiles at Marlene who’s trying very hard to hide her giggles behind her hands.</p><p>“But would I suffice to carry you, my lady?” Marlene nods, beaming bright and wide as Andrea turns to offer her his back. “Then your chariot awaits.”</p><p>“I’ll remember that.” Cloud mutters under his breath, sending Andrea a glower that only makes the man chuckle again. Marlene climbs up on his back and she weighs hardly a damn thing. Andrea clutches her tighter reflexively. Something swelling in his chest as her little arms come around his neck.</p><p>“I’m sure you will, lovely. Lead on.”</p><p>Cloud scowls and marches away.</p><p>But only a few steps. Always making sure he glances back towards them and keeping an eye on their surroundings as they continue. It’s probably another good ten or fifteen minutes that they walk. Eventually the world around them changes. Still full of debris yes, but the damage seems less severe here. Cloud leads them through a tall, winding passage lined with metal plating and back out into the sunlight. There’s a distant sound- like water- echoing in the quiet. Andrea follows Cloud across rickety planks of dark wood, around another corner and then all at once his breath catches in his chest for the second time that day.</p><p>The first thing Andrea sees are the flowers. Dozens no- hundreds of them scattered across the ground. An array of colors and scents that flood his senses. Nearly every surface is bursting with quiet life. A waterfall roars quietly down from one wall, a trail of sparking, clear water pools at it’s base, winding slowly through the cliffs. Then there’s the house, a lovely, three storied affair made of dark, richly colored wood. It’s seen better days certainly, hints of decay and neglect hovering around it. But it doesn’t detract from anything.</p><p>It’s a quieter spectacle than the church certainly. But no less impressive for it, not at all. Cliffs rising on all sides, threaded through with veins of metal and pipes from the world beyond. A reminder of where they are, because the rest of it unlike anything Andrea’s ever seen. Had no idea such a little microcosm could exist within Midgar.</p><p>“Pretty huh?” Marlene says, squirming against his back. Thoughtless, still staring, Andrea crouches down to let her slide safely to the ground. He makes a wordless noise of agreement in the back of his throat. Low and awed.</p><p>“What do you say, Marlene?” Cloud prompts with a gentle nudge. The girl blinks and then rolls her eyes.</p><p>“Thanks Andi.” She says, perfectly sincere. Then she grins at her guardian. “You should take your own advice, Cloud.”</p><p>The blond just huffs and waves her away. Marlene scampers off to the nearest flower patch, crouching down and Andrea realizes after a moment that she’s talking to them. Her words are light and happy.</p><p>“This place is...<em> incredible </em>.” Andrea says, when the words finally free themselves for the blank wonderment. Cloud hums from his place beside him and Andrea gets back to his feet. There’s a similar kind of peace in this place as the church. But it doesn’t feel quite so...overwhelming. “I had absolutely no idea that something like this was even possible here.”</p><p>A warm, comfortable silence hangs between them as they both look on. Watching as Marlene happily scampers between flowers, a serene smile on her face and bright in her eyes. After a few minutes Cloud shifts.</p><p>“Why don’t you pick out a couple?”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea says, tearing his attention away from the world around them to look at Cloud. The blond’s still watching Marlene, leaned back against one of the wood railing a few steps away.</p><p>“You said you wanted to practise, right? That preservation technique or whatever?”</p><p>Andrea’s heart flutters. Realizing that <em> this </em> is a big part of why Cloud had invited him along. Just more proof that he’d been listening. Watching. Paying attention even when it seemed like he wasn’t.</p><p>That same, strange heat floods behind Andrea’s eyes again. Bright and sharp.</p><p>One would think that Cloud’s ability to constantly surprise would stop. Well. Surprising him eventually.</p><p>No such luck for his fool heart it seems.</p><p>Andrea closes the gap between them. Reaching out to catch Cloud’s cheek in his hand, the way the other had for him earlier. Cloud starts a little, turning his head just as Andrea leans in to kiss him. Their lips meet in a soft brush of skin on skin. Echoed by the whisper of Andrea’s hands cradling Cloud’s face between them and the gentle brush of leather against his neck as Cloud reaches back.</p><p>Time doesn’t mean much of anything as Andrea hangs suspended in this moment. In the press of their lips, the heat of their breath and bodies pressed close together. The quiet noises he doesn’t think Cloud knows he’s making. The scent of flowers and Cloud’s own unique chemical sharpness. In the soft silk of Cloud’s hair as Andrea slides a hand around the back of his neck, tilting his head a little more so Andrea can kiss him deeper. Not roughly, no. Not at all. Just...</p><p>More.</p><p>A gloved hand brushes his cheek as they slowly drift apart. He can see the flickering concern in those two-toned eyes. Damn. His tears must’ve gotten away from him again. Andrea just shakes his head, offering Cloud a faint smile as he reaches to trap Cloud’s hand against his cheek. Turning his head into the touch to press his lips to Cloud’s palm.</p><p>“You’re incredible.” He murmurs, smiling soft as he opens his eyes again to meet Cloud’s. Loves the faint flush of color on his face. Loves the gentle part of his kiss swollen lips. Loves the light in those eyes, bright and present in the moment.</p><p>Loves Cloud and everything this quiet soul is.</p><p>Cloud gently pulls his hand away, only to take Andrea’s again, twisting their fingers together and tugging him towards the steps.</p><p>“C’mon. Told Tifa we’d be back in time for lunch.”</p><p>Andrea laughs, soft and wondering and follows Cloud down into the flower patches. Stepping careful and admiring near every blossom they pass. Following Marlene’s trail lazily.</p><p>Andrea notices, as they walk, that he doesn’t see any roses here. Strange...</p><p>Where had Cloud found his?</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Keep Me Close</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>HOLY SHIT! This fic is officially a month old now! How did we get here???</p><p>But ya, this chapter is a bit of self indulgent angst, fluffy snuggles and SMUT! Because I felt like celebrating. Especially since the response to this whole silly, stupid thing has been 1000000000% beyond what I ever EVER expected. Oh My God.</p><p>I cherish every single one of you who reads it, subscribes to it, comments, kudos, bookmark, whatever! All of you are incredible, beautiful souls who make my heart so goddamn full it's amazing it hasn't burst yet. Holy fuck. Just. All my love and appreciation to every one of you.</p><p>Also, Avasti is the actual certifiable best. Thank you for screeching at me about this whole damn thing and just. Bless you. For all it. Your help and suggestions are absolutely invaluable.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I can get you another-”</p><p>“No thank you. I want this one.”</p><p>Cloud sighs at him and goes back to his work, leaving Andrea to his. But it’s hard to get himself to focus. Mind and eyes wandering constantly to catch on Cloud. To make sure he’s here. Because Cloud flat out disappeared after that morning they spent with Marlene in Midgar.</p><p>Okay. <em> Fine </em>. Maybe Andrea’s being a touch dramatic. But it’d certainly felt that way.</p><p>Between him and Marlene they must’ve brought back at least a dozen flowers in a variety of types, colors and sizes. They’d nearly been late to lunch because of it. But Tifa’s concerns were quickly swept beneath both kids talking over each other in their excitement. Determined to share every detail of their days with each other and ‘the grown ups’. It’s certainly a lively affair, one Andrea is a bit sad to leave when Cloud offers him a ride home. But still, he’s been excited to start his research and ‘experiments’ as it were. The bonus of course is getting to spend a bit of one on one time with Cloud.</p><p>Andrea pulls Cloud inside after they roll up outside his apartment. The blond quietly grumbling and rolling his eyes, but following him nonetheless. He even takes over making sure the newly cut flowers are all tucked away into a wide pitcher of water until Andrea can get to them. A sweet gesture Andrea rewards by pulling him onto his lap on the couch. Kissing him thoroughly. Andrea even manages to sneak a few more glancing ones on Cloud’s adorable freckles before Cloud pushes him away.</p><p>“I’m gonna be gone a few days.” Cloud says. Even as Andrea smiles from the breathless tone, his heart feels a little heavy. He rubs his thumbs gently against Cloud where they’re resting on his trim waist.</p><p>“Big job?”</p><p>“Kinda.” Cloud hedges, glancing towards the window. Andrea hums. This probably has something to do with the call Cloud slipped away at the church to make. Not his place to pry. Those bright eyes flicker back to him. “You okay?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“After earlier. Back at the church.”</p><p>“Oh!” In truth, Andrea’s mind has been on a good number of other things since. So the memory of that odd moment had been pushed back. Some of the unease crawls back through his veins now he’s been reminded, but he carefully tamps it down and smiles at Cloud. “Yes. I’m alright. Told you fresh air would do me good.”</p><p>Cloud watches him for a moment, assessing, then he nods. “’Kay.”</p><p>The blond shifts back and Andrea lets him get back to his feet before following as Cloud heads for the door. Before Cloud can leave though, Andrea catches his wrist and gently pulls him back. Cloud stumbles a step, blinking up at him even as Andrea dips his head to press his lips to the corner of Cloud’s lips.</p><p>“Thank you for today. Truly. It was...magical.” He murmurs against the smooth skin, going to pull back. But before he can Cloud tips his head to catch his lips properly. Andrea huffs a little through his nose, remembering what Cloud said this morning outside Seventh Heaven. He returns the kiss easily, but can’t help feeling a quiet edge of...something beneath the gesture and the way Cloud’s free hand is twisting faintly into his shirt.</p><p>Before he can do much but wonder at it, let alone ask, Cloud pulls away and heads for the door. With little more than a quiet, “See you.” drifting back over his shoulder as the clicks shut behind him.</p><p>That had been nearly four days ago. And during those days there’d been nothing. No calls, no texts or answers to ones Andrea sent. Like Cloud had stepped off the face of the Planet. For the first day and half Andrea thought nothing of it. It’s not strange for Cloud to get caught up in his work. And Andrea was busy settling back in at the studio. But somewhere in the depths of day two of radio silence from Cloud’s end that same crawling unease had crept itself back under Andrea’s ribs. Day three had it curling around his heart. But before the thorns could dig themselves any deeper he’d come home the next night to Cloud perched on his front steps.</p><p>Cloud seems aware enough to realize Andrea’s been worried, because he offers him one of those vague, sheepish expressions, unable to meet his eyes. At least he doesn’t seem like he’s hurt. Just a little pale perhaps. A quiet kind of exhaustion around the edges of his eyes like he hasn’t been sleeping. Or at least not well.</p><p>But all Andrea can focus on in that moment is the fact that Cloud’s here, in front of him. Safe and well. His shock quickly faded down into a softer smile.</p><p>“Welcome back.” Andrea says, unable to keep the bright relief out of his voice. Cloud gets to his feet and follows as Andrea heads inside. “I’ll be just a minute. You hungry?”</p><p>“Sure.” Cloud says, kicking off his shoes and heading for the kitchen. Andrea chuckles and slips away to change out of his work attire into something more comfortable. It’d been a long day- especially since worry had preoccupied so much of his mind. But he can feel it settling further as he hears Cloud shuffling about.</p><p>He joins Cloud and together they whip up something that vaguely looks like food, a simple pasta and sauce. Andrea very stubbornly insists that Cloud eats with him. He doesn’t like how pale Cloud looks.</p><p>Weirdly he keeps catching Cloud...Well. Staring seems like the wrong word, but Andrea can’t think of a better one. Often when he glances at him, he finds a strange, intent light in those bright eyes. Focused as he watches Andrea. And it doesn’t go away even as they eat and talk a little. Andrea does most of the talking of course. Cloud seems. Closed off about where he’s been. But since he seems fine, outside of being a touch weary, Andrea doesn’t see a reason to pry. He’s just glad Cloud’s back.</p><p>After supper, which Cloud insists on cleaning up, Andrea gets to work on finally preserving his rose. It’s started to show flecks of its age along the edges. Darkening spots here and there. A little more curl to it’s lovely petals. But it’s still one of the single most beautiful things Andrea’s ever seen and he wants to keep it as safe as he can. Besides, his other experiments with the flowers they brought back turned out quite well.</p><p>When Cloud sees the bits of decay on the rose, that’s when he offered to replace it but Andrea had shut the idea down immediately. Quietly though, he boggles at the fact that it could be replaced at all. But he doesn’t want to. This one is...special. Too special to just be replaced or tossed aside.</p><p>Andrea’s not sure when he got so sentimental.</p><p>“Wish me luck.” He says, pressing his nose into the rose one more time.</p><p>“Mmm.” Cloud hums absently. Andrea smiles, takes a breath, and carefully lowers the rose down into the melted wax that sits beneath him. Easing it back out after a moment, Andrea twists it around, Tilting it to make sure the wax slips down in between all the petals. Once he’s satisfied he sets it aside into a glass he has waiting to dry.</p><p>“That's it?” Cloud’s just finished tucking away the last of the dishes. Coming up beside Andrea to look.</p><p>“Yes.” Andrea says, something a little incredulous in his voice. It’s funny, how simple it turns out to be, given how much he’s been quietly fretting about it. But still, he lets out a breath once it’s done, smiling a little to himself as the petals shimmer wetly in the kitchen lights. “I can do another coat once it’s dry, but I won’t know if it’s needed till then.”</p><p>“Fair enough.”</p><p>Andrea smiles, catching one of Cloud’s hands as he walks past him. Again Cloud follows him and they both settle in the living room, Andrea in his chair and Cloud on the couch. It’s another one of the peculiar, but calming silences that settles between them. Just them in the low lamp light. No real need to talk, but just to be.</p><p>Cloud’s watching him again. Andrea can feel the weight of those eyes. Familiar. Intense. Andrea turns his attention away from the window.</p><p>“What’s on your mind, beautiful?” He asks, voice soft as the shadows on Cloud’s face.</p><p>“Guess I’m just...” Cloud trails off, shifting to clasp his hands between his knees, hunching forward. “Trying to wrap my head around something.”</p><p>“May I ask what?”</p><p>Cloud nods, but he goes quiet for a time. Not looking at Andrea but more towards the room around them. To his hands twisting together. Something anxious to the set of his shoulders.</p><p>“Tifa’s-” Andrea can’t help but blink. Surprised by the odd opener, but holds his tongue as Cloud struggles for a moment before continuing. “I guess you could say she’s the reason I started down the path I did.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“I joined up with Shinra- wanted to make SOLIDER- because of her. Because I...” There’s a twist between Cloud’s eyes. An expression Andrea can’t place. “Because I wanted her to notice me.” Cloud runs a hand through his hair, shaking his head. That painful, self deprecating smile back on his face. “Pretty stupid, right?”</p><p>“I don’t think so at all.” Andrea says, light, yet firm But Cloud just shakes his head, smiling twisting down into something like a frown. Continuing like Andrea hadn’t spoken.</p><p>“Then you come along.” Cloud looks at him finally. Something strange in his eyes. Bright and unreadable. Like confusion and hurt and quiet awe. “<em> You </em> , this. This larger than life star. People have to wait three <em> years </em> to get five minutes of your time. And you notice me without me even trying for it. Without even realizing...” Cloud’s gaze drops in time to his shoulders. To the sigh that shakes them. “And I don’t get it.”</p><p>“Cloud...” Andrea moves, shifting to sit on the edge of his chair. But before he can say anything else, before he can try to counter the painful self doubt, Cloud keeps going.</p><p>“But I don’t really get a lot of things. So.” Between his knees, Cloud’s hands squeeze together for a moment before he straightens a little from his hunch. “Guess I don’t have to. Get this, I mean. To- to like having this.” Cloud looks up at him again. Eyes wide and vulnerable and so impossibly bright. Young and torn between hope and something too much like fear. “Right?”</p><p><em> Oh </em>.</p><p>Oh Andrea’s not sure what hurts worse. The tentative, painful hope in those bright eyes. Or the fact that his heart is very determinedly trying to smash through his rib cage.</p><p>Or maybe it’s the fact Cloud’s asking if it’s alright to <em> want </em> something. To have it. Wonders if it’s ok to be <em> happy </em>.</p><p>Andrea moves. Without thought crosses the space between them. Reaches out with shaking hands to catch Cloud between them. Running them across his face, his neck, through his wild hair as Andrea sinks to a knee before him.</p><p>“Of course.” Andrea says, heat flooding sharp behind his eyes, voice trembling without his permission. “Oh my darling, of course you can.”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes widen a little, breath catching sharp in his chest. Andrea holds Cloud’s head between his hands. A painful, but genuine smile blooming over Andrea’s face despite the twist to his brow.</p><p>“One day I hope I can get you to see it. To see all the wonderful, extraordinary and beautiful things I see in you, Cloud.” He brushes his thumbs slowly against Cloud’s skin. “But until then, I’ll happily remind you. As much and as many times as it takes.”</p><p>Cloud’s hands catch in his shirt, tight and purposeful as he pulls Andrea in. Andrea goes easily, willingly. Catches that lovely mouth in a kiss that’s incredibly gentle for the amount of emotion so clearly behind it. Cloud’s breath shudders out of him. A sound hovering on the edge of relief.</p><p>The familiar warmth of Cloud against him again ruptures something inside Andrea. Jagged and almost painful. Leads him to pull Cloud closer. Kiss him deeper. Clutch at him with hands that still shake.</p><p>Oh. Perhaps Andrea was more worried than he’d thought about Cloud's sudden, strange absence.</p><p>Cloud notices. Andrea hears him take a breath, quick and quiet as he pulls back. Reaching to catch Andrea’s wrist. Touch firm, but soothing as his thumb rubs careful circles against Andrea’s pulse.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” There’s so much genuine concern in Cloud’s eyes it makes Andrea’s heart quiver that much harder.</p><p><em> Honesty, Andi. That’s what you promised yourself. Honesty </em>.</p><p>“You had me worried.” Andrea manages, voice low. Cloud’s expression flickers, a tiny frown of confusion marring his lips. A part of Andrea almost wants to laugh. Because of course Cloud doesn’t understand. Of course. Andrea curls a hand against his cheek. “Disappearing like that.”</p><p>“I didn’t-” Cloud starts but stops himself. Brow furrowing, eyes darting away from Andrea’s. A few painful, shaking heartbeats pass before Cloud’s expression flickers. His hand squeezing against Andrea’s wrist for a moment before the two-toned eyes turn back to him. Something like an apology on his face.</p><p>But it’s Cloud. So of course he does the unexpected.</p><p>Gently, so impossibly gently for the strength Andrea knows lies within him, Cloud pulls Andrea’s hands away. Andrea’s heart clenches, but before he can even feel a sting from the action Cloud’s moving. Slipping forward off the couch to crouch with Andrea on the floor. So many things flickering behind his eyes that Andrea can’t place any of them. Cloud hands twitch at his sides, a few fits and starts. Uncertainty and hesitation clear on his face before that bright spark of determination pushes it aside. Cloud reaches out and pulls Andrea forward into the circle of his arms. Tucked around his shoulders before Andrea feels firm, if gentle pressure as Cloud rests a hand against the back of his head.</p><p>“Sorry.” Cloud murmurs from somewhere by his ear. “Sorry, I didn’t think-”</p><p>The tears Andrea’s been choking back have absolutely no chance against the painful sincerity of Cloud’s words. Against everything Andrea knows lies beneath them and the ones Cloud’s not saying. Because here sits a man who’s still trying to figure out if he deserves happiness. And it’s painfully evident that outside of Tifa, the kids and the companions whose names stray into conversation sometimes, that Cloud really isn’t used to anyone giving a shit. To caring or worrying about him and his well being. Still trying to ‘wrap his head around’ the fact Andrea is very, <em> very </em> much one of those people.</p><p>Andrea buries his face into Cloud’s shoulder, hands jerking up. First to curl into Cloud’s shirt, still shaking. But it isn’t enough and a moment later he moves. Wrapping his arms around Cloud’s lean waist and pulling him closer. His breath shudders out, hot and sharp.</p><p>“Hey...” Cloud sounds so soft, so worried. So uncertain. A choked little rumble that he can feel. Andrea wonders, absently, if Cloud even realizes that his thumb’s tracing over the tattoo behind his ear. A slow, soothing motion. An anchor point. “It’s okay.”</p><p>Andrea tries to rally himself. Tries to pull something coherent out of the whirl of his thoughts, of his feelings. But he can’t seem to grasp anything long enough for it to make sense. For it to make it out past his lips. Cloud’s grip tightens, firm enough to give Andrea something to ground himself with. He takes a breath, slow and shaking. Fingers curling into the back of Cloud’s shirt.</p><p>“...I’m okay.”</p><p>Cloud’s voice brushes the edge of his ear. Calm. Reassuring. Andrea’s next breath catches in his chest. Something in his mind settles.</p><p><em> Oh </em>.</p><p>Something like a smile wavers into existence on Andrea’s face. Trust Cloud not to understand, but still know what to say. Know what balm to lay over Andrea’s wounds. Andrea can’t help laughing. An ugly, wet, breathy sound. Feels Cloud shift, but he doesn’t say anything. Just holds on. Steady and warm. And it’s so...<em> Cloud </em> that it settles everything else inside Andrea too.</p><p>After a moment Cloud moves again, his hand slipping away from Andrea’s head. There’s a rustle, then the faint sound of a phone ringing. Cloud’s voice quiet as it stops.</p><p>“Tifa? Hey, listen. I’m not gonna make it back tonight. Yeah...” Andrea’s heart turns over in his chest. Filled with something bright and soft. Like light. “Yeah. Thanks. ‘Night.”</p><p>Cloud tucks his phone and finally moves, starting to pull back. Andrea lets him go, clearing his throat and wiping at the tacky trails on his cheeks. For once he can barely bring himself to meet Cloud’s eyes. To see that clear, bright concern still hovering in his expression.</p><p>“Cloud. I...”</p><p>A hand catches his. Warm and tight and grounding. He blinks, squeezing back on reflex. A gentle tug that pulls Andrea’s focus up to Cloud again.</p><p>“C’mon.” Cloud’s words are firm, yet so gentle that it still makes Andrea’s insides quiver. But he follows the pull, let’s Cloud help him back up onto his feet. Follows close behind as Cloud leads them into the bedroom. He turns down the bed, coaxes Andrea to settle in and vanishes just long enough to grab them both a cup of warm chamomile tea. He hands one to Andrea before stripping off his pants and climbing into bed alongside him.</p><p>Andrea’s fairly certain his heart’s going to break under the weight of all this careful attention.</p><p>“You didn’t have to do all this.” It’s the first thing Andrea can think to say, rolling his now empty cup between his hands slowly. Cloud shifts beside him on the bed, bright eyes glancing at him briefly.</p><p>“I know.” He says around the edge of his own cup. Then Cloud shrugs, a faint, uncaring little motion, “Wanted to.”</p><p>Andrea barely has the presence of mind to set down his own cup and pull Cloud’s away to do the same before he moves. Shifting around to catch Cloud’s face in his hands and kissing him. Deep and slow and desperate for a reason entirely different from the norm. Cloud’s hands catch against his waist, holding firm and steady as Andrea moves over him, pressing him back. Humming low and quiet against him.</p><p>Exhaustion creeps its way slowly up Andrea’s spine. Bleeding out into his limbs, pulling at him and his thoughts. He doesn’t know if Cloud can just sense it or what, but the other shifts them both, tugging Andrea down to rest against him. Taking most of the dancer’s weight with ease as he sinks down. Finally Andrea finds the sense and strength to pull back. Moving to rest his head over Cloud’s heart. Listening to it pound against his ear.</p><p>“Thank you.” Andrea says, low but entirely sincere. Catching one of Cloud’s hands and holding it close as the blond settles his other arm around Andrea’s waist. Cloud’s fingers squeeze his back.</p><p>“Get some sleep.”</p><p>A tired, but genuine smile washes over Andrea’s face. His eyes drifting shut as he listens to the soothing rhythm of Cloud’s heart. Of his breathing. Of the gentle sweep of his thumb against the small patch of skin by Andrea’s hip.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Cloud’s still there when Andrea wakes up, still snuggled up against him. If anything Andrea’s managed to wrap himself around Cloud even more in their sleep. Their legs tangled, Cloud’s arm still draped around him.</p><p>What’s more is Cloud is awake, despite the sun having only just risen. And still he stayed, letting Andrea cling to him without a fuss. Andrea can’t help but think it’s a little unfair to have his heart doing such flips so early in the day. He tilts his head from where he’s ended up resting in the crook of Cloud’s neck. Shifting to press his lips to the warm, smooth skin of Cloud’s jaw gently.</p><p>“Good morning.” Andrea murmurs, low as he nuzzles his nose into Cloud’s cheek. Feels the other move, the brief weight of eyes. Cloud’s arm glides along his back, squeezing gently around his shoulders for a moment.</p><p>“Morning.” Cloud echoes as Andrea moves, moving to kneel over him so he can see those beautiful, bright eyes. Whatever vestiges of last night's emotional storm left lingering in the fringes of his mind vanish beneath the steady weight of Cloud’s focus on him. Especially as Cloud reaches out a hand, hesitating a moment before he curls it against Andrea’s cheek. “You okay?”</p><p>Andrea kisses him. Kisses him soft and warm. Smiling and touched all the way down to his soul. Because Cloud’s here and safe and present. How could Andrea be anything else?</p><p>“I am.” He says, a whisper against Cloud’s skin because he can’t stand to be apart from him at this moment. Feels the tiniest flicker of a smile Cloud gives at his words beneath his own lips. Kisses him again. Deeper. Slower.</p><p>God. God, what did someone like Andrea ever do to get the chance to have someone like Cloud touch his life. Cloud with all his beautiful, frustrating contradictions. With his quiet hesitance and firm, unwavering determination. Andrea’s grip shifts to the back of Cloud’s head, winding through his sleep mussed hair and holding him closer.</p><p>Familiar energy sparks between them. The deep, rolling storm cloud at the base of his spine, lightning through his nerves and thunder rumbling in his chest. Not in the least bit helped as Cloud clutches back at him, humming and groaning into his mouth. Andrea pulls back, just enough to breathe, to speak, to press his forehead against Cloud’s for a moment.</p><p>Even in the rising daylight, Cloud’s eyes are the brightest thing in the room. Lidded and gorgeous and watching Andrea with that intent focus that makes the storm at the base of his spine spread.</p><p>“Cloud...” He whispers. The blond makes a quiet, questioning sound, but Andrea doesn’t know what to say. Doesn’t think there’s anything he could say to express himself in this moment. To explain why Andrea’s soul is still quaking way down in the depths of him. So he doesn’t try to. Just arches Cloud's neck a little, tugging at his hair gently as he presses their lips together again.</p><p>Cloud shivers beneath him. Breath coming harder as Andrea swipes his tongue against the seam of Cloud’s lips. Humming as they part easily beneath his touch. Andrea indulges himself a moment, tasting the sweet little noise Cloud makes as he licks inside his mouth. He shifts away, pulling Cloud’s head back a little more. Picking his way down Cloud’s neck. Pulling at the neckline of Cloud’s shirt, revealing his sharp collar bones. Bending his head to bite at it. Worrying pale skin between his teeth. The mark he left last time has faded. Cloud advanced healing factor hard at work. Guess he’ll just have to leave more.</p><p><em> What a pity </em>Andrea thinks with a grin.</p><p>Cloud’s breath leaves him in a sharp rush as Andrea sinks his teeth into the supple flesh. Worrying it between his teeth, sucking at it both to mark and simply for the joy of tasting him. Cloud shifts beneath him, one leg pulling away to brace beside him. Letting Andrea press closer. Cloud’s hands at his waist. One cradling his hip the other slowly, hesitantly drifting up under his shirt, pressing to sleep warm skin. Mirroring the slide of Andrea’s hand down Cloud’s chest.</p><p>“Andrea.” Cloud says, a groan underscoring the words. “C...Can I-hah!”</p><p>Whatever Cloud meant to say is lost in a gasp as Andrea’s wandering hand presses to the front of his boxers, kneading at his cock. The dancer groans as he feels Cloud stir beneath his touch. Still, Andrea feels bad he interrupted the other. It’s so rare for Cloud to ask if<em> he</em> can do something after all. Pulling his lips from Cloud’s flesh enough to speak.</p><p>“You can. You can have this.” He murmurs, heated and sincere. Remembering Cloud’s words from last night. Feeling the way Cloud’s still hesitating. Mindless, his fingers edge into the slit of Cloud’s underwear. God, he can feel the heat of him from here and it’s <em> beautiful </em>. “You can have whatever you want, Cloud-”</p><p>Without warning Andrea’s ministrations are brought to a halt. Before he has time to ask or even realize what’s happening he’s on his back. Staring up into Cloud’s brilliant, illuminating eyes. There’s a furrow between his eyes. Expression serious and focused and it makes Andrea shudder.</p><p>“I wanna suck you off.”</p><p>Andrea’s head turns to static for a brief second.</p><p>“I-”</p><p>He’d never thought Cloud’s blunt words could have such a brutal effect on him. But then he’d also never thought that the quiet boy who blushed and squirmed away from affection with all the speed of a cactuar would ever say such a thing.</p><p>Not that he’s complaining.</p><p>At all.</p><p>Andrea breath shudders out of him, heat pooling low in the gut. Fuck, why does Cloud effect him so easily? Even as he thinks it Andrea knows the answer, even if he can’t put into words- not even in his head.</p><p>Cloud’s expression flickers above him. That soft, painful kind of uncertainty bleeding back into the edges of his eyes. Oh. Andrea realizes in a heartbeat that Cloud’s taking his tongue tied silence as rejection. A misunderstanding he rectifies immediately by grabbing the back of Cloud’s neck, pulling him forward even as Andrea sits up. Catching Cloud’s mouth again in a kiss that borders on bruising. Leaving them both groaning even as the dancer pulls back enough to meet Cloud’s eyes.</p><p>“Yes. I-. If that’s what you want. Yes-”</p><p>“Yeah.” Cloud’s voice has that slightly rough tone to it that makes Andrea bite his lip. His hands hot as they settle against Andrea’s waist. Firebrands that stoke the flames in Andrea’s gut higher. As does the way those beautiful eyes trail along his body. “Lemme do this for you.”</p><p>It’s closer to a demand than a request. But damn if it doesn’t send another streak of searing heat through Andrea’s blood. He raises his hands, sinking back into his pillows in a dramatic show of submission.</p><p>“I’m all yours, lovely.”</p><p>Cloud looks up at him from under lidded eyes. Intense and intent in their focus. In the desire Andrea can see swirling like a storm in their depths.</p><p>“I’ll hold you to that.” There’s a low note in Cloud’s voice that Andrea’s never heard from him before. His mouth goes dry. A shudder running through his spine. Makes him twitch sharp in his pants.</p><p><em> Fuck </em>. Andrea thinks even as Cloud leans down. Even as his lips brush against Andrea’s so gently his heart trembles before they drift away down towards his neck. Each press grows more certain, more heated. Until Andrea feels the faintest prick of Cloud’s teeth against his pulse. He groans, head tilting back as he presses into the touch. But Cloud pulls back and the sudden absence of his heat makes Andrea shiver a touch. He looks back up at Cloud who’s watching him again.</p><p>“Your turn.”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea hums, a little absent. Distracted by the firm, slow press of Cloud’s hands as they drift up his stomach. There’s nothing teasing or even particularly sensual about the touch, but god it doesn’t make Andrea burn.</p><p>“Tell me what you want.”</p><p>There’s something in Cloud’s voice that Andrea can’t explain. A touch of heat, of fondness. Whatever it is, it reaches inside him, pressing at both his heart and the building desire for the man in front of him. Andrea can’t help smiling.</p><p>“The answer to that, lovely, is always going to be you.”</p><p>“Not helpful.”Cloud rolls his eyes, quirking a brow at Andrea. “What? You gonna pretend you’re shy all of a sudden?”</p><p>“Oh certainly not. I don’t mind telling you that I’d very much like to fuck that lovely mouth of yours.” Oh<em> god </em> if the way Cloud’s eyes flare with arousal and surprise in tandem to the rising color in his cheeks doesn’t go straight to Andrea’s cock. Something like a breathless laugh catches in Andrea’s chest.</p><p>Gaia be blessed for the precious, contradictory soul that is Cloud Strife. For giving Andrea the chance to experience him.</p><p>“Especially since you were so generous to offer it.” Andrea says, heated and touch dark as he reaches to press a thumb to Cloud’s lips. A shiver threatening his spine as they part a little from the touch. Somehow he manages to keep his voice from shaking as he continues. “Why don’t you get me out these clothes and we’ll go from there.”</p><p>Andrea pulls his hand away, unable to hide a grin as Cloud wets his lower lip, eyes flashing, bright and heated. Voice a distant, thunderstorm rumble.</p><p>“I can do that.”</p><p>Since he’s already got his hands half way up Andrea’s chest, Cloud tugs his shirt off first. As he does, Andrea catches that lovely mouth with his again. Biting gently at his lower lip, smiling as it makes Cloud huff through his nose before Andrea lets him go.</p><p>Cloud sits back, eyes tracing slow and heated over Andrea’s body. Andrea grins at him, arching his spine in a teasing ripple.</p><p>“Come on, lovely. I want to feel those gorgeous hands on me.”</p><p>His words seem to break Cloud out of his little trance and the blond glances up at him for a moment. Quiet fire in those eyes. Then he reaches out, a faint quiver of hesitation in his hands, before he lays them against Andrea’s skin again. Tracing them down, pressing firm against tight muscle. Andrea sighs happily.</p><p>“That’s it.” Cloud’s fingertips brush against Andrea’s chest, calluses marvellously rough against his nipples. Andrea feels the way Cloud hesitates again and chuckles softly. “I’m not as sensitive as you, beautiful. But it still feels divine.”</p><p>Cloud hums, the sound quietly considering as he drags his thumbs over them. Again Andrea presses into the touch. More than happy to encourage this rare bout of exploration. God but it does feel good. A warmth trickling down and adding to the growing fire inside him.</p><p>“You can be a little rougher, my dear. I- oh.” Andrea’s teasing words break off in a gasp as Cloud catches his left nipple between thumb and forefinger, pinching. Not sharp, not painfully by any stretch but it still sends a wonderful spark through him.</p><p>There’s a very familiar question in Cloud’s bright eyes. One that makes Andrea smile.</p><p>“Perfect.” He murmurs. “Again.”</p><p>Cloud listens. Following Andrea’s words as he coaxes the blond to do the same to the other. To both. To lean in and brush his tongue against them. Something that makes Andrea groan and drag him up for another long heated kiss.</p><p>Those slender hands drift down along Andrea’s ribs, to his stomach. Pressing into heated skin. As Cloud settles more firmly between his legs, Andrea can’t help canting his hips a little. God, it’s unreal how hard he’s gotten just from a few relatively simple touches.</p><p>“Will you strip me down, lovely?” Andrea’s voice is a heated growl as Cloud’s hands catch in the waistbands of both his pants and underwear. Cloud nods, so serious that it makes Andrea chuckle. Not helped when Cloud frowns at him.</p><p>Cloud’s still very business-like as he helps remove the rest of Andrea’s clothes. But Andrea can see that flick of surprise and desire when his eyes light on Andrea’s erection. There’s a brief shake to Cloud’s hands as he rests them on Andrea’s knees. Slowly, carefully sliding them up along the dancer’s corded thighs. Even that has Andrea twitch a little.</p><p>God, he’s so far gone.</p><p>It feels absolutely incredible.</p><p>But then Cloud stops. Hands resting against Andrea’s hips. He bites that lovely lower lip of his, eyes darting briefly to Andrea’s. The dancer blinks, sitting up to curl a hand against Cloud’s arm..</p><p>“Cloud? Something the matter?”</p><p>“I...haven’t really-” There’s a stubborn, embarrassed tilt to Cloud’s expression. An uncertain tension in his shoulders as he can’t quite bring himself to meet Andrea’s eyes. “S-so. Tell me what feels. Good.”</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Andrea's heart seizes and swells in his chest. He’s not going to survive this man. He’s not.</p><p>Here Cloud sits, nervous not because he's embarrassed by what he wants. But because of his relative inexperience and the desire for Andrea to enjoy this. To be <em>good</em> for him.</p><p>Precious, precious boy. Andrea adores him with every piece of his soul.</p><p>“Tell you what.” Andrea says gently, stroking the side of Cloud’s face. “You do what feels right and I’ll tell you if I want anything different. Sound good?”</p><p>“...Okay.”</p><p>It’d be a lie to say that the way Cloud’s nerves seem to calm at his words doesn’t make something very much like pride burst warm through Andrea’s chest. Sparking brighter as Cloud settles down on his belly between Andrea’s legs.</p><p>Cloud’s grip on him shifts, hand moving to curl around Andrea's erection. Tightens a little around him, still gentle, but not anywhere near so hesitant as before. Cloud sweeps his thumb over the head. Andrea hadn’t realized the texture of his calloused hands would feel quite so good. His breath catches and he presses into the touch.</p><p>Andrea hums, low and pleased in his throat. Cloud’s grip on him tightens further, the dry slide of his hand prickling at Andrea’s nerves. The blond shifts between Andrea’s thighs, holding Andrea’s erection steady as he leans forward to drag his tongue against the head. Andrea gasps at the contrast. The wet, smooth slide in near complete opposition to his hand.</p><p>“Oh yes...” Andrea breathes, the edge of a groan beneath his voice. Cloud does it again, quicker this time. Then again, a touch slower than the first. Andrea sighs and shifts, drinking in the jolts of pleasure. Another groan escapes him as Cloud finally parts his lips and takes the head into his mouth. Andrea’s fingers twitch against the sheets.</p><p>Cloud’s watching him, Andrea realizes as the other continues. Studying. Carefully cataloguing his reactions behind those brilliant eyes. Silent and intent. And god does the realization make the heat inside him flare, sharp and breathless. Makes his cock twitch against Cloud’s grip, precum starting to bubble against his tongue.</p><p>Of course Cloud would be just as quietly attentive in the bedroom as he is in the world at large.</p><p>As Cloud takes him deeper, Andrea has to make a conscious effort not to thrust up into the sensation. He berates himself silently. Normally he has far better control of himself. But even so, Andrea knows it’s because it’s Cloud doing this for him. And because it’s Cloud, Andrea finds himself internally at war. Because the fire in his veins wants more, roars loud and near deafening whenever he meets those bewitching eyes. Demanding more. More and more always because he can never get enough of Cloud. But his heart echoes back just as strong. Reminding him to be gentle, to take it slow. To savour these moments these feelings. Because Andrea would shatter if he ever thought he’d hurt Cloud.</p><p>Unsurprisingly, Cloud pushes himself too far, too quick. A faint sudden choking sound against Andrea before Cloud pulls back with a gasp, coughing slightly. Andrea immediately sits forward, something sharp flickering through his chest as he reaches forward to cup Cloud’s cheek.</p><p>“Easy sweetheart. You don’t need to push yourself.”</p><p>“I can do it.” Cloud says, with that adorably stubborn furrow to his brow again. God, <em> how </em> is it possible for someone to be simultaneously the sweetest and most gorgeous fucking thing Andrea’s ever laid eyes on. Andrea melts a little.</p><p>“I know, lovely. But take it slow.” Andrea can’t help but catch one of Cloud's hands, pulling it up to him to feather kisses against it. “This doesn’t have to be the only time after all. Practise makes perfect, hmm?”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes flare for a moment. Andrea shudders, reaction hitting him from two sides. Both from Cloud’s as well as the mental image that bleeds into his mind, sharp and bright and impossibly lovely.</p><p><em> Fuck </em> . Once Cloud figures this out- and Andrea <em> knows </em> he will, wicked, clever little soul- he’s not going to survive. The idea alone is like someone’s siphoned Andrea’s blood out and replaced it with magma. He shudders even as Cloud bends to take the tip of his cock back into that warm, wonderful heat. Andrea sinks back into the pillows again and just. Breathes.</p><p>Cloud’s good at finding and knowing his limits apparently. Not that it’s surprising to Andrea. But it’s still the most heady, gorgeous thing to watch him explore what he’s learned he can do. That same thrill Andrea gets when Cloud dances with him. To watch him take Andrea’s cock deep as he can without gagging against it. To feel the heated, slick slide of Cloud’s tongue against him and Cloud starts to move. Pulling back and sinking down again. Lapping and sucking at the tip in alternating rough and gentle motions.</p><p>“Oh darling...hmnn. You feel amazing. God- <em> haaah </em>- you’re doing so well.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help the deep and breathy sounds that escape him. Legs bracing on either side of Cloud. Mock cradling his head between the dancer’s muscled thighs. Andrea toys with himself a little, both for the way it feels and the way it makes Cloud trip over himself when he catches him. Sliding his hands over his body. Tugging and toying with his dark nipples. Sighing and gasping as he squirms.</p><p>“Cloud-” Andrea’s breath hitches as one of Cloud’s hands slips down. Squeezing at the base of his cock, slipping further to brush at his balls. “Oh fuck yes. A little rougher beautiful- <em>ah</em>! Yes, like that.”</p><p>And yes, Andrea’s putting on a bit of a show, but it doesn’t feel fake at all. Given how brutally Cloud’s reactions hit him. The widening of his eyes. The way he swallows thoughtless around him. The faint, but consistent rock of his hips as Cloud presses into the bed underneath them. The idea that Cloud’s getting off on this makes Andrea shudder. Throb. Head pressing back into the pillows as he bites his lower lip tightly. Again crushing back the urge to just thrust into Cloud’s mouth. It leaves him trembling.</p><p><em> Don’t push it </em>.</p><p>But Cloud’s also just as good at pushing <em> both </em> their limits- nearly to the point of breaking.</p><p>Andrea gasps, voice pitching low on a moan that rattles out of his ribs as Cloud sinks further down than he has been. Just the faintest gagging out before he breathes. Settles. Andrea’s hands sink into those soft golden locks without thought. Not pulling, no. Just holding on as he basks in the sensation of Cloud’s mouth and the slow, building confidence in him as he laps and sucks at Andrea’s length.</p><p>Andrea hears Cloud moan, low and stifled around the cock in his mouth. Something inside Andrea squeezes, catching this moment and hanging it suspended in his thoughts with crystal clear detail.</p><p>“Cloud...” He breathes as he stares. Sinking into another one of those slow, hyper focus moments. Where everything around him vanishes so he can bask in the quiet glory that is Cloud Strife.</p><p>After the night with Cloud back in Midgar, Andrea started sidestepping and even bowing out of encounters with any blond haired, blue eyed beauties who vied for his attention. Some ridiculously sentimental part of himself wanting to preserve the memory of this particular pairing as long as possible.</p><p>But, unsurprisingly, even his memory has slipped on the finer details over the in-term. He’d forgotten how dark the ring around those bright eyes is. The way he can almost see the Mako green shift- like some living thing- if he looks into them long enough, How pale his hair is- more a golden champagne than yellow. How wild it is, yet absolutely perfectly suited to him.</p><p>Stunning. Enchanting. Entrancing. <em> Beautiful- </em></p><p>Cloud is all of those things. And so, so much more besides. Especially here. Especially now.</p><p>Those eyes send a flood of supernova heat through his veins when he catches them peeking up at him. Bright and wet. Cloud’s hair like fine spun silk between his fingers as he clutches at it.</p><p>“<em> Cloud </em>-” The name dissolves on his tongue in a long, deep moan. He pulls without meaning to. The vibration from the way Cloud moans around him is very nearly his undoing. His stomach clenching tight as Andrea wrestles with himself. Not ready for this moment, this feeling to end.</p><p>“Ohh you perfect, <em> perfect </em> boy.” The praise is mindless, thoughtless. But <em> hell </em> if Cloud’s reaction to it doesn’t make Andrea feel rather like he’s been lit on fire. A long, groaning vibration that has Andrea leaking into his mouth. A shudder that Andrea nearly echoes. “ <em> Fuck </em>- Cloud, you’re driving me out of my mind!”</p><p>Cloud sinks down further with low choked noise. Coupled with the way he swallows and sucks against Andrea’s cock, tongue dragging against the sensitive vein underneath. Andrea gasps, sharp and hard right from his chest.</p><p>“<em> Haah </em>- Cloud. Cloud, I’m close.” He can feel himself at the cliffs edge, barely clinging on as he stares down into the white hot heat of orgasm below. Saved only by the way Cloud finally listens and pulls back. “You- you don’t have to-”</p><p>“Shut up.” The raw, ragged sound of Cloud’s voice, the heat of his breath against Andrea’s already near oversensitive cock is like fist to the gut. “Said you were gonna fuck my mouth. So do it.”</p><p>Something inside Andrea quivers, stills. Holding its breath even as Andrea stares in those impossible eyes. Swallowing hard, voice jagged as he groans. “...You really want that?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>No hesitation. No uncertainty here- for this. Just pure, burning <em> want </em> in the gravel of his voice. In the depths of those glowing eyes. They stay locked on his even as Cloud moves to slip the head of Andrea’s cock back between his lips.</p><p>“Fuck...” Andrea breathes, unable to help the way his hips twitch forward. Just a touch but Cloud’s eyes flutter, the light in them flaring. Andrea’s hands sink into Cloud’s hair. Holding him tight. He does it again, a little deeper this time, a little more purposeful. Cloud shivers, a faint growl in the back of his throat. His hands reach, curling against Andrea’s hips. Not pinning, but tugging at him. Intent and desire burning bright in his eyes. Andrea tugs at his hair, sharp, if only to free himself from that bewitching stare enough to focus. It works, Cloud’s eyes rolling, a moan vibrating against Andrea’s leaking cock. “Oh <em> fuck </em> Cloud-”</p><p>He gives in. Gives into his own desires and the echo of it he can see so vividly in Cloud’s eyes. He tries to go slow, to ease into it. But the fucking <em> noises </em> Cloud makes break Andrea’s composure so fast he might as well not have bothered. The groans and gasps and faintest, helpless choking noises as Andrea presses deeper and deeper. They’re a sledgehammer to what remains of Andrea’s thoughts and soon enough he’s fucking into that glorious, wet heat.</p><p>And Cloud lets him. Clings to him, stares at him when he can rally the focus to do so. Whining soft in his chest and begging Andrea for <em> more </em> with little more than the blissful haze on his face.</p><p>“Oh god, Cloud. God, you’re so good. So good for me.” The Mako in Cloud’s eyes lights up like a goddamn reactor. Andrea can feel the shuddering cry that rips itself from his gut even as it dies a sputtering death around him. “Fuck. <em> Fuck </em>- look at you-!”</p><p>Orgasm hits Andrea like a sucker punch to the gut. Forcing the breath from his longs in a long, loud moan. Tense and gasping as he cums hard down Cloud’s throat, pushed higher by the breathless gagging noise the other makes as he works to swallow it. Everything except those bright, brilliant eyes near whiting out in a fuzz of static.</p><p>“Fuck…” Andrea groans when he gathers his senses enough to do anything but gasp for breath. “Cloud-”</p><p>Cloud’s shifted up, back. Kneeling between his thighs. Trembling and panting, eyes bright as he stares at Andrea.</p><p>“Okay?”</p><p>Andrea’s mind reels. Hauling him back to that somehow hazy, yet sharp moment in time. Cloud’s tone, his expression, that tiny shadow smile in the corner of his mouth. All of it syncing up to that fateful night in Midgar.</p><p>But this time is...different. Softer, despite what they’d just done. This time the room around them is bright with sunlight. This time he knows how to read all the things he can see in that beautiful, precious face. In those vibrant, still glowing eyes.</p><p>This time Andrea’s not letting Cloud go. Not for anything.</p><p>Andrea pulls him up. Pulls him in. Holds him close as he turns them. Presses Cloud to the bed gently as he kisses him. Groaning into that sweet, wicked little mouth as he tastes himself on Cloud’s tongue. Pulls him closer.</p><p>“Perfect. Absolutely perfect.”</p><p>“Okay.” Cloud says, another echo that’s softened by the way Cloud kisses him back. By the way he’s calm and pliant and warm beneath him. By the way Andrea can see his heart, warm and impossibly lovely in his eyes. By the way Andrea can feel him smiling, small and true.</p><p>The tears that find Andrea this time are nothing but pure, effervescent joy.</p><p>They’re both already breathless, but Andrea pushes until they part if only by pure necessity. Cloud’s trembling beneath him, wide eyed and flushed and so terribly beautiful that Andrea nearly sobs from it. Unable to stop the way his next gasp hitches sharp in his chest as Cloud reaches to wipe gently at his tears.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” He whispers and the words catch Andrea off guard. He blinks, staring at Cloud even as he pants.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“For worrying you. For not-” Cloud’s eyes drop from his for the first time. Something like a furrow twisting his brow. “I’m. Trying to figure some shit out. Just...give me time.”</p><p>“Oh sweetheart.” Andrea whispers, reaching out to turn his face back to him. Catching those beautiful eyes. God, of course Cloud would still be thinking about that. Andrea’s heart squeezes even as he smiles. “I told you, remember? I’ve all the time in the world for you.”</p><p>Cloud blinks at him, surprised before he nods. Faint, but still there. Andrea dips his head to press their foreheads together. Closes his eyes just to breathe the other in. As he shifts, one of Andrea’s thighs presses between Cloud’s legs. The dancer's breath catches in his throat at the sticky wetness he can feel against his bare skin.</p><p>“Oh my god.” He breathes pulling back to stare at Cloud in heated disbelief. “You- you actually came from-”</p><p>Cloud’s cheeks ignite. A flush of vibrant, endearing red that Andrea only has a moment to cherish before the other jerks away, rolling to press his face into one of the pillows. A pained and muffled “<em> Shut up! </em>” Echoing weakly through the air.</p><p>Andrea can’t help it. Can’t stop the slow, rising wonder and happiness as it floods, warm and soft through his very soul. Can’t help the way he starts to laugh, breathless and wondering even as Cloud barks at him to “<em> Shut! Up! Andrea!</em>” still buried in the pillow. Andrea can see the tip of one of his ears. Flushed that same lovely red. He leans down and catches it between his teeth. Nipping sharp enough that Cloud twitches under him. Andrea presses his nose into that soft, wild nest of hair, lips to the soft skin behind Cloud’s ear as he rumbles.</p><p>“I meant what I said, my beautiful, precious little storm cloud.” Andrea smiles, nuzzling at Cloud’s skin. Something warmer than sunshine in his chest. “You are absolute <em> perfection </em>.”</p><p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>(also, also: I s2g that I'm not trying to make this a pattern. By which I mean alternating from non-smut chapters to smut chapters. I swear. I'm not. But it keeps happening???</p><p> </p><p>...I have a lot of smut written for this story xD)</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Sweeter Moments</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Have some fluff because I have felt like trash the last few days. &lt;3</p><p>Also Also! Avasti is a lovely angel! :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seventh Heaven’s bell rings merrily in the early morning air. A perfect accompaniment to the lightness of Andrea’s soul and step.</p><p>“Knock knock.” He calls as he eases in through the door and looks around.</p><p>“Come on in!” Tifa’s voice rings out from somewhere but he can’t see her yet. Still Andrea takes her advice and slips inside glancing around. Goodness, he’s rather missed this place since the last time he got to stop by. There’s a certain sort of...homey-ness to the space, especially during the day. Something warm and welcoming.</p><p>There’s the sound of footsteps and Tifa appears from the doorway behind the bar. She smiles brightly as she sees him, waving around the box she’s carrying in her arms.</p><p>“Good morning!”</p><p>“Good morning. Need a hand?” Andrea asks, unsurprised when Tifa just shakes her head. She eases out through the divide and sets the box up on the nearest table. Andrea wanders over as she cracks it open. He plucks up one of the little metal shapes she pulls out, grinning when he realizes it's a chocobo shaped cookie cutter. “What’s this?”</p><p>“Oh you’ll see as soon as they get down here.” Tifa says with a smile, closing up the box again and tucking it away under the counter. Andrea glances at a few of the other shapes. Some of them more generic things- circles, hearts and such. But there’s also a few cartoonish depictions of beasts, dogs and cats.</p><p>“Quite the collection.”</p><p>“Yeah. Our friend Wedge donated them ‘to the cause’.”</p><p>“And the cause is-?”</p><p>“Cookies!”</p><p>Andrea blinks and looks up to see Marlene trotting out from behind the counter. She looks very much like she just rolled out of bed. Still snuggled in pyjamas with some sort of white creature stitched on the front with a red jewel on its forehead. Her tousled hair pulled hastily back with a bow. But she looks wide awake, her dark eyes shining as she smiles.</p><p>“Good morning Marlene.” Tifa chimes, hugging the girl back as she trots up to her.</p><p>“Morning, Tifa. Morning, Andi.”</p><p>“A very good morning to you too.” Andrea replies with a warm smile. God, between her and Denzel he may very well have to admit changing his tentative stance on kids.</p><p>“Where’s everyone else?” Tifa asks and she moves to open the blinds on the front windows.</p><p>“Cloud’s getting ready. Denzel and Millie are just waking up.”</p><p>“Did you sleep okay?”</p><p>“Yeah. Millie’s waaay better at sharing blankets than Denzel is.” Marlene says stretching with an adorable little yawn.</p><p>Tifa laughs, “Well it was very sweet of you to share your bed with her.”</p><p>“No problem.” Marlene says. She gasps when she notices all the different cookie cutters scattered over the table. “Aww they’re so cute! Which one’s your favourite Andi?”</p><p>Andrea settles into a spirited discussion with Marlene about how one can never have too many cat shaped cookies when there’s movement upstairs. A light pattering of feet and the careful creak of a door. He thinks he hears voices.</p><p>Tifa glances at Andrea over the counter. “Fair warning. This usually goes one of two ways. We either have a nice morning or-”</p><p>There's a crash from upstairs with Cloud’s sudden irate voice hot on it’s heels.</p><p>“<em>Hey</em>!”</p><p>Tifa sighs, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling. “Chaos.” She gestures absently at Andrea, offering him a crooked grin. “Stay where you are. You’ll be out of the line of fire.”</p><p>“What-”</p><p>“RUN!”</p><p>Before Andrea can even process what’s happening, there’s a thunder of footsteps and a door slamming from somewhere upstairs. Seconds later Denzel flies through the divide, another young girl clutching a moogle doll right behind him. Denzel’s got something in his hand, but Andrea can’t catch a proper glimpse before Cloud appears in the next moment. He looks so serious and focused that it’s actually rather flattering when he stumbles the moment his gaze catches on Andrea.</p><p>Andrea learns three things in very quick succession.</p><p>1.) Cloud’s hair does in fact naturally stick up at very odd and random angles. No wonder the poor boy’s learned to style it the way he does.</p><p>2.) That one of his favourite expressions on Cloud’s pretty face is the one where he’s caught between surprise, embarrassment and that beautiful sunrise smile.</p><p>3.) He looks absolutely, completely, unfairly <em> hot </em> in white.</p><p><em> Down boy </em> . Andrea tells himself, very, <em> very </em> sternly. Unable to tear his eyes away from Cloud as the other lingers, frozen in the doorway. Drinking in the way the surprisingly bright fabric <em> clings </em> in all the right ways to Cloud’s torso and arms. And yes, the fit is part of Andrea’s reaction. But more than that, the white makes Cloud surreal eyes pop like nothing he’s ever seen before.</p><p>By Gaia Herself, that’s just not even in the same realm as fair.</p><p>The door’s bell rings as Denzel and his friend disappear out into the street, the sound of it and the door closing finally snagging Cloud’s attention. His bright eyes darting over as he takes another step into the room. Several things flash across his expression before something like defeat drops his shoulders.</p><p>“Dammit.”</p><p>“Language.” Both Tifa and Marlene chime immediately, before grinning at each other, Marlene poorly holding back laughter. Cloud just grumbles at them both, flapping a hand as he skirts through the divider. With a sigh, Cloud collapses into one of the bar stools, head thunking down onto the counter as he groans. Andrea chuckles, wandering over to pet the back of his neck gently, toying with the short hairs.</p><p>“Hello to you too, beautiful.” He murmurs, giving up on trying to stop his eyes from wandering down the strong, gorgeous lines of Cloud’s back.</p><p>“Don’t start.” Cloud grouches, batting at Andrea’s arm halfheartedly. Marlene climbs up beside her guardian and leans down, trying to see his face for a moment before pouting. Shaking one of his shoulders with a surprising amount of force.</p><p>“Cloud, c’mon! You said we were gonna start once you got down here.”</p><p>Cloud sighs, the sound long suffering and weary. Then he slowly sits up and looks at her. “You eat breakfast yet?”</p><p>“Nope!”</p><p>“Well, you do that while I get everything ready.”</p><p>“Aww, but I wanna help.” Marlene pouts, that cruelly potent little look that Andrea swears could move mountains. Finally Cloud’s expression softens, brightens. He reaches out to rest a hand on her head.</p><p>“I know. You can, but eat first.”</p><p>“What about you?”</p><p>“Later. Not hungry.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help the faint flicker of worry that sparks inside him at Cloud’s words. At his easy tone. He’s been noticing more and more that Cloud has a tendency to skip out on meals. Or at least not eating anywhere near as much as someone with his stature and physicality should. He can see  a brief flicker in Tifa’s eyes. Apparently he’s not the only one to think along those lines. Even Marlene seems skeptical, but Cloud gets back to his feet before anyone can say anything.</p><p>“What’d you want kiddo?”</p><p>“Umm...can we do pancakes?”</p><p>“Sure. Uses a lot of the same stuff anyway.” Cloud slips behind the bar to join Tifa, who’s already pulling down a couple frying pans. It’s a little like watching a dance, Andrea decides, seeing the two of them share the relatively small space. Bending and dodging and brushing past each other. Thoughtless and rather lovely for it. Cloud and Marlene tackle pancake duty, Tifa starts frying up large, delicious strips of bacon and Andrea volunteers himself for prepping fruit and drinks for them all.</p><p>Marlene at least appreciates his apple bunnies.</p><p>“Marlene? Can you call Denzel and Millie back in, please?” Tifa asks in what feels like no time at all between all their combined efforts.</p><p>“Okay!” The girl chimes, hopping down from her seat and hurrying towards the door. “Guys c’mon! Or else Cloud says you don’t get any breakfast. OR cookies!”</p><p>“Never said that.” Cloud mutters under his breath. Tifa glances at him.</p><p>“Is she wrong?”</p><p>“Nope.” There’s something like a grin at the edge of Cloud’s mouth. Tifa rolls her eyes and flips the next strip of bacon over. Marlene’s threat seems to work because a few minutes later Denzel and his friend are edging back into the bar.</p><p>“Uh, we come in peace?” Denzel says, an uncertain half smile on his face as he raises the thing he’s holding. Andrea realizes that it’s hair gel and immediately has to bite his tongue to stop from laughing. Ah. So that’s what caused the big kerfuffle. And it certainly explains Cloud’s wilder than usual hair.</p><p><em> Brave kid </em>. Andrea thinks, rather impressed.</p><p>Cloud stares them both down a moment. Expression flat, eyes considering. Then he jerks his head. Denzel’s uncertainty melts into a grin and he and Millie race up to join Marlene at the counter. Cloud places two more plates down in front of them before holding out his hand. Denzel relinquishes the bottle of gel immediately as the kids start chattering among themselves and dishing up from the towering stack of fluffy pancakes before them.</p><p>Once the kids are settled in and served, Tifa wanders over to join Andrea at the table, bearing plates with pancakes, bacon, fruit and mugs of coffee. Cloud doesn’t join them.</p><p>“It’s okay.” Tifa says quietly under her breath, worries tucked behind a faint smile. “He’s just...having one of his off days. He’ll come ‘round.”</p><p>Andrea nods. He’d noticed it too. The way Marlene and Tifa both had to keep pulling Cloud’s focus back to the task at hand. Tifa far more pointed about it of course. Marlene probably hadn’t really realized what she was doing. Giggling when Cloud would jump back to himself with a start or chiding him if he forgot one of the ingredients.</p><p>Cloud’s still busy puttering away behind the counter by the time Andrea’s eaten his fill. He watches Cloud for a moment, noting his paler than usual skin and the darker circles around his bright eyes. An idea springs to mind and he lightly loads up another plate and gets to his feet.</p><p>Tifa seems to realize his plan and offers him a half grin around her mug of coffee, “Good luck.”</p><p>Andrea returns the grin and slips back behind the counter. Cloud notices him and arches a brow. Andrea just smiles, setting the plate down, cutting off a little triangle of pancake and holding it out. Cloud blinks. At it. At him. Rolls his eyes and leans over to eat it. How someone could look petulant chewing on fluffy pancakes Andrea has no idea. But Cloud manages it. Even if the effect is ever so slightly ruined by his mess of hair.</p><p>Denzel and Millie scamper off as soon as they’re done, promising to return when it’s time for decorating. Tifa trailing them citing the need for a shower. Marlene scurries around behind the counter, eager as she was earlier to help.</p><p>“Hold on.” Cloud chides softly as she starts pulling out bowls and measuring cups. The girl blinks her big brown eyes up at him. Cloud pulls open one of the drawers and pulls out an adorable pink checkered apron, holding it out to her. “Can’t go into battle without the proper equipment.”</p><p>Marlene laughs, pulling it over her head and turning to let Cloud tie up the back. Cloud slips away a moment to grab a little step stool for her to stand on. Marlene hops up and beams at Andrea.</p><p>“Do you wanna help Andi-”</p><p>“Nope.” Cloud interjects. Marlene blinks up at him. “He’s not going anywhere near this kitchen.”</p><p>“Huh?” Marlene asks, adorably confused. Andrea laughs, holding up his hands in surrender.</p><p>“I’m afraid I made a bit of a mess at my house. Traumatized poor Cloud here.”</p><p>“Ohhh.” Marlene says, nodding sagely. Then she giggles. “Okay. Then you can be in charge of music and telling us stories.”</p><p>“Now that I can certainly do.” Andrea says, bowing exaggeratedly. He takes the box of music discs Cloud points out to him from one of the lower cupboards and soon enough has the place filled with lively, energetic music.</p><p>Cloud and Marlene make an incredibly good team. Measuring out ingredients, mixing them together like clockwork, much like they had with breakfast. The girl prodding Cloud along every once in a while if he drifts. Clearly this is not the first time they’ve done this.</p><p>Andrea finds out about halfway into it all that they’re making sugar cookies. But he still has to raise an eyebrow at the sheer volume of the batch they end up with. Trying very hard not to get distracted as Cloud rolls it out, the corded muscles of his arms, bunching and flexing in a way that’s all too enticing. Still Marlene proves a good distraction. Hounding him for stories of the studio and other such things.</p><p>He doesn’t think there’s any particular rhyme or reason to which cutters Marlene elects to use. Outside of the ever important “Oh! This one’s so cute.” of course. The first pan ends up largely loaded with chocobos, kittens and a smattering of other things.</p><p>As Cloud slides it into the oven he looks back at Marlene. The girl’s bouncing on her toes, glancing up towards the ceiling where Andrea’s heard Denzel and his friend laughing and bounding around the last while. Cloud nudges her gently.</p><p>“You go up. I’ll call you when the first batch is out.”</p><p>“Okay!” Marlene says, jumping down from her stool. She pauses in the doorway and points at Cloud, a stern look on her young face. “Don’t forget them in the oven this time."</p><p>Cloud doesn’t actually stick his tongue out at her, but by the expression on his face he may as well have. Andrea chuckles under his breath as Marlene darts away to the creak of stairs. Cloud goes about loading up the other three pans they have prepped. When he’s done he leans against the counter with a sigh. Andrea tips his head, smile softening a touch as Cloud rakes a hand through his hair. An adorable pout on his face as it largely just sort of flops around.</p><p>“May I fix your hair, lovely?”</p><p>Cloud huffs, “You’re welcome to try.”</p><p>Andrea laughs and steers Cloud over to one of the stools. He’s no artist in the traditional sense, but he’s fairly certain at this point someone could blindfold him and he’d be able to draw a near perfect likeness of Cloud’s features. All his silly spikes included.</p><p>He wets his hands and runs them through Cloud’s locks for a while, both just for the joy of doing so and to dampen them a little so the gel will stick properly. Cloud’s quiet under his touch. Near docile, even as Andrea starts styling it properly. Once he’s satisfied with it Andrea wipes his hands clean. Cloud’s eyes are closed, his body slumped slightly. Another spark of worry bushes at Andrea’s heart as he stoops a little. Brushing his nose against Cloud’s as he bumps their foreheads together gently.</p><p>“You look tired, sweetheart.” Andrea murmurs into the scant space between them. Watching those heavy eyes blink themselves open.</p><p>“Mm...yeah.” Cloud nods absently. “Couldn’t sleep.”</p><p>“May I ask why?”</p><p>“I...” Cloud’s brow furrows a little. Then he shrugs. “Just got a lot of shit in my head.” Cloud’s gaze drifts, looking out towards the front of the bar, but Andrea can tell he’s not really<em> seeing</em> anything. That awful, distant haze around the edges of his eyes. “Guess you’d called ‘em...memories. But I’m not even sure of that half the time.” The twist of Cloud’s lips is a sharp, painful little thing that needles at Andrea’s heart. Still Cloud seems to shake himself out of it largely the next moment. Reaching to touch the ends of his hair. His smile takes a more genuine turn as he glances at Andrea. “Thanks.”</p><p>“You’re very welcome.” Andrea says, happily accepting the gentle kiss Cloud presses to his lips. Brushing a thumb along his cheek. He can’t quite stop himself from trailing his other hand down Cloud’s chest. Resting it against Cloud’s lean waist. He grins a little to himself as he feels Cloud press into the touch. The motion thoughtless. “You know you really are unfair.”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Purple is your color lovely, but white is <em> definitely </em> your shade. Not all that sad, drab black you always wrap yourself up in.” Cloud frowns at him, but Andrea stands wholly by what he said. He slowly glides his hand around, from Cloud’s cheek to his neck. “I’ve been fighting the urge to just pin you to one of these counters ever since you came down here.”</p><p>“Wha-” Cloud’s words break off in a gasp, as Andrea grips the hair at the back of his neck, pulling firm enough to tilt his head back. Cloud’s breath hitches as Andrea picks his way down his neck. Grinning when he feels Cloud’s pulse, a low pounding baseline.</p><p>Andrea dips his head to nuzzle at Cloud’s collarbone through his shirt. Knows the mark he left here the other day is gone by now. But he wants to try somewhere new anyway. Cloud jumps beneath his touch as Andrea lets his hair go and slowly sinks down onto his knees. Can feel Cloud’s eyes on him as the dancer eases the hem of his shirt up.</p><p>“Andrea?” There’s something cautious, yet wanting in Cloud’s voice. Andrea smiles, glancing up at him before leaning in to press his lips to Cloud’s right hip, exposed by his low riding sweatpants. Mouthing at the warm skin, teasing it with the tip of his tongue. He glances up at Cloud, voice low.</p><p> “May I mark you here?”</p><p>Cloud nods, mute, and Andrea can see that tiny hint of a glow in his beautiful eyes. The dancer smiles. Kissing him again before catching the unblemished skin between his teeth, biting at it firmly. There’s a creak as Cloud’s hands clench into the dark leather of the stool. Jaw dropping a little as his breath catches high in his throat.</p><p>God but he’s so beautiful.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t even realize his other hand’s wandered till he feels the faint, telling heat and Cloud jerks, latching onto his shoulders, pressing firm.</p><p>“Shit- w-wait-!” He gasps, eyes darting back behind the bar to the doorway.</p><p>“Shh. I know, lovely. I won’t.” Andrea soothes, softening the touch of his teeth. and moving his hand away. He eyes the mark, dark and lovely against Cloud’s light skin before he lets Cloud’s shirt drop again. Gliding his hands back up along that lovely frame as Andrea gets back to his feet. Cradling Cloud’s jaw between his hands and smiling at the pretty flush on his cheeks. “I just wanted you to know how absolutely gorgeous you are.”</p><p>Andrea kisses him until the oven’s alarm sounds a few minutes later.</p><p>Andrea ends up in charge of the ‘decorating station’ as it were. He and Marlene mix up icings of a variety of bright, vibrant colors. Pink, blue and green. Soon enough all three kids are settled at one of the tables, giggling and smearing the glossy icing over the surfaces of chocobo’s, puppies, kittens, hearts and a whole host of other delectable little shapes.</p><p>Tifa comes down a while later and wanders over to Cloud, resting a hand on his arm. The blond’s attention jerks from where he’s cleaning. She smiles at him. Whispering something as she pulls the cloth from his hands. For a second Cloud looks like he’s going to argue, but then if fades out. Dying into something begrudging and accepting as Tifa ushers him out from behind the bar. Cloud wanders over towards the booths, collapsing lengthwise back on one of the benches. Letting out a sigh so quietly weary it makes Andrea’s heart ache.</p><p>Marlene slips down from her seat, snagging two of the decorated cookies as she hits the floor. She heads for Cloud, climbing up and perching across his stomach. The ex-merc starts, blinking up at her. Marlene smiles at him. Soft and warm and sweet as sugar, holding out one of the cookies. Cloud glances between it and her, then one of his own soft, shadowy smiles brightens his face. He reaches out and takes it, gently tapping it against hers.</p><p>“Cheers.” He murmurs and Marlene giggles.</p><p>“Mm! We did good.” She beams, taking a bite. Cloud huffs the edge of a laugh under his breath, turning the one in his hand this way and that.</p><p>“Hm. You decorate this one?”</p><p>“Yep!”</p><p>“Nice work.”</p><p>Unsurprisingly it quickly becomes the new fad to get Cloud’s approval on decorating. Denzel and Millie both migrating over towards the booth, chattering and showing off what they were doing. As usual the kids seem to talk <em> at </em> Cloud more than with him. But none of them seem to mind his half answers and vague little noises. And even from here Andrea can see that flicker of life in Cloud’s eye. The one torn between bemusement and a smile.</p><p>Andrea wonders how much the kids know. About Cloud and his tendency to lose himself. Wonders if this is just something instinctual, or if they realize just how much it means to the man. How much it grounds him. Andrea’s only just starting to understand it himself, but the kids have known him for far longer- especially Marlene. He supposes they must understand, to some degree at least. Even if the rest of it is nothing more than their obvious attachment to Cloud.</p><p>Andrea leaves them to finish up and goes to help Tifa clean and pack up the abundance of cookies. They split them all between a bunch of different containers, with the intent of handing them out to friends and the like around the area. It’s mindless, but fun work and Andrea’s touched beyond measure when Tifa shoves one of the containers into his chest with a wink.</p><p>The kids have finished with their decorating now. Denzel and Millie vanishing off somewhere upstairs. Marlene’s itching to join them, but Tifa’s fixing her hair. Pulling it back into the long braid she usually wears it in. Once Tifa’s finished, Marlene snatches up her ribbon from the counter, slips down and trots over to Cloud who’s still resting on the bench.</p><p>“Cloud?” She says, the tone of her voice apparently enough of a question as she holds out the ribbon. Cloud’s expression flickers for a moment before he nods, sitting up. Marlene beams as he takes it, turning around so he can wrap it around the top of the braid.</p><p>There’s something quietly ritual about this, too, Andrea realizes. Watching the careful, methodical way Cloud knots it and pulls the flared ends so they sit just right. Blue-green eyes peer at his work a moment then he taps Marlene’s shoulder gently. She turns to face him with a smile.</p><p>“Thanks!” Marlene says just as Denzel and Millie reappear, dressed for the day. Denzel’s got that positively conspiratorial look on his face that he’d had earlier when he’d rushed through with Cloud's hair gel in hand. Andrea sees a bright flash of pink on the ends of Denzel’s fingers. Some of the left over icing.</p><p>Again, he doesn’t know whether to salute Denzel’s apparent bravery or laugh at his foolishness.</p><p>Slowly the boy inches over towards Cloud. The blond’s leaning against the table, gaze unfocused as he looks out the window.</p><p>“Hey, Cloud?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>Denzel loses the battle against his grin, lurching forward in the same instant. “Got ya-whoa!”</p><p>In one of those inhumanely fast motions, Cloud catches Denzel’s icing coated hand. Spinning him around and scooping Denzel up into the air as he stands. Arm wrapped around the kid’s waist tightly. Cloud uses his grip on Denzel’s hand to start menacingly push the icing towards Denzel’s startled face. Denzel yelps and squirms, feet kicking helplessly towards the ground.</p><p>“No, no, no, no, no!” Cloud just arches a brow at the boy’s protests. The others are all giggling and generally being quite unhelpful.</p><p>“Don’t dish out what you can’t-”</p><p>Cloud’s voice is interrupted by the muffled sound of a phone ringing. He pauses in his torment of Denzel, brushing the icing off quickly onto his sweatpants. Twisting to dig in one of his pockets to fish out his cell. He lifts it up, peering at the screen. It’s as though someone flash freezes all the life in Cloud’s expression. That old, blank stony mask slamming down over the light in his eyes so hard and fast Andrea can hear it echo through the air. Cloud answers it with a brief flick of his thumb, tucking it close against his ear.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>Denzel shifts in Cloud’s grip again and Cloud immediately lets him go. Carefully easing the boy back down on his feet. As soon as Denzel’s free, Cloud's moving. Ducking back behind the bar and vanishing upstairs. “Mm. I’m on it.”</p><p>When he reappears not five minutes later he’s decked out in all his travel gear. His sword gleams somewhat ominously from its place in the leather holster. Denzel’s expression sinks so fast Andrea swears he can hear the kid’s heart cracking.</p><p>“You’re leaving again?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Cloud says, stooping to tug on his heavy boots.</p><p>“But you just got back.”</p><p>“I know. But this is important.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“Denzel.” Tifa calls, voice soft but firm. The boy looks back at her and she gently shakes her head. Denzel frowns then sighs. Shoulders bunching up. Cloud looks at him, something tender and apologetic flickering bright through his eyes. He reaches up and rests a hand on Denzel’s shoulder.</p><p>“How about this? When I get back, we’ll take a day trip out to the ranch.”</p><p>Denzel looks at him, his young face surprisingly skeptical. But there’s a tinge of hope to it too. “Really?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“You promise?”</p><p>“Mm.”</p><p>“...Okay.” Denzel says, nodding slowly. Cloud goes to get to his feet but he’s only about half way there before the kid lunges. Wiry little arms catching around Cloud’s waist as he hugs him. Cloud looks startled by the action, blinking down at Denzel’s curly red hair. Andrea can see Denzel give him a squeeze before he steps back, sniffling and rubbing at his nose, not looking up. “See you when you get home.”</p><p>Before Cloud or anyone can respond Denzel turns and darts out the front door, Millie hot on his heels. Cloud watches him go, somehow looking even more tired than he was before. With a sigh he gets the rest of the way to his feet. He looks over at Marlene who smiles at him, a touch of sadness to her usual sunny expression as she waves at him before trotting out after the others. Those tired blue eyes drift to Tifa’s. One of their customary Looks passes between them. The young woman nods, something in her expression Andrea can’t place, going back to her work.</p><p>Cloud’s hand catches Andrea’s as he passes, a brief suggestion of a tug as the other slips passed the divide. Andrea follows wordlessly as Cloud leads him into the garage.</p><p>“Not sure how long I’ll be out.” Cloud says, tucking away the pieces of his sword into their compartments then slinging himself onto the seat. “I’ll try and contact you when I can.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Andrea says and means it. But even so, he can’t help the worry crawling through his veins. “Cloud?”</p><p>Two-toned eyes look up at him. Still exhausted and distant and worrying. But even buried under all that is the faint flicker of determination. Cloud’s mind set on whatever it is he’s going out there to do. Andrea reaches out, cups the side of his face. Aching deep down to his bones when Cloud leans into the touch with a sigh, bright eyes closing for a brief moment.</p><p>“Be careful.”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>It’s five days this time and Cloud only contacts him near midnight on the second. Just a simple line of text that he probably means as a joke, but still makes Andrea’s insides twist.</p><p>
  <em> Still alive. </em>
</p><p>That night, and the three to follow, Andrea dreams again of hazy colors and distant sounds. Wakes with an ache in his chest where his heart sits, beating too quick.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Falling Faster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Avasti is WONDERFUL! AMAZING! STUPENDOUS!</p>
<p>Also: Thank you all so, so much for your love and well wishes last time. It meant the world. I'm doing better now- not great, not yet. But definitely better. &lt;3</p>
<p>Also Also- I finally decided to start that fic playlist xP </p>
<p>So I'm going to link to both the Youtube and Spotify versions- pick your poison. They are the same content wise and I will be updating them as new stuff catches my ear. There's no particular...order to them. Some of the songs are 'relevant'. And others are just shit I like to listen to as I write- though most of them admittedly have some relevance (at least so far).</p>
<p>Enjoy the sounds of "Captivating"!! ;)</p>
<p>Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNGm0cwdB4w&amp;list=PLkpHCm15voh9etZl-I0hEO4y5XumAcia8</p>
<p>Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0NrkF6Axwm3fAKp1h4JwLN?si=fXnXfPVhQ06yUpCSA_ygSw</p>
<p>Side note: "Angels" is kinda the 'official' song for this fic in particular. And OMG Andi swears "F.N.T" is his internal monologue for Cloud lol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em> -saying I think Strife’s up to some shady shit.” </em> Leslie has a particular way of sounding supremely bored, yet somehow intense. “ <em> Like </em> <b> <em>really</em> </b> <em> shady. </em>”</p>
<p>“And what makes you say that?” Andrea says, shifting the phone to his other ear and massaging at his temple. He can’t seem to get the lingering ache out his head these days. He blames his increasingly odd nights. He’s been getting enough sleep, technically. But he wakes feeling wrung out. Heart racing like he’s just danced for hours or run for miles. Something anxious lingering like spider webs in the edges of his thoughts. But he can’t grab them. Can’t pull them forward to the light to examine them properly. Last night a new color got added to the hazy repertoire. Green. Pale and bright and familiar in a way he can’t place, but knows he should.</p>
<p>“<em> Word on the grape vine is there’s been movement. From the Turks- or what’s left of ‘em. Sketchy fucks showing up in places they have no place being. </em>”</p>
<p>And alright, Andrea can understand why that’d catch Leslie’s attention. Without Shinra around still, it’s certainly odd that the Turks are still functioning. Still around. But even so-</p>
<p>“What does that have to do with Cloud?”</p>
<p>“<em> Well he’s Ex-Shinra, right? </em> ” Leslie says and Andrea can hear the shrug in his voice. He has to bite the end of his tongue to keep from snapping. God, he hates it when people lump Cloud in with the likes of them. Like Cloud isn’t and always has been so, so much more than that. “ <em> And a couple of my ears caught wind of folk seeing a bike in weird places too. </em>”</p>
<p>“You realize he runs deliveries across the Planet for a living, right?” Andrea says with cool amusement. Then he sighs. “You’re sure it’s his?”</p>
<p>“<em> Too distinctive to be anybody else’s. </em> ” Andrea grunts. Can’t argue that. Much as he’d like to. Then Leslie continues, “ <em> Course. Like I said it’s all hearsay right now. But Strife’s always been...well you know him. </em>”</p>
<p>“Hmm.” Andrea hums in absent affirmation.</p>
<p>“<em> How about you? Any bites on the line?” </em></p>
<p>“Not yet. Nothing concrete. But hopefully soon.” Andrea can hear Leslie sigh. “We’ll find him Leslie. Trust me, I’m just as frustrated as you, but these things take time.”</p>
<p>“<em> Yeah I know. </em> ” He can hear Leslie shuffle down the line, “ <em> Well I got shit to do. Talk to you later Andrea. </em>”</p>
<p>“Take care Leslie.” Andrea says and a dial tone sounds in his ear in the next moment. With a sigh, Andrea drops it to the arm of his chair and massages the bridge of his nose.</p>
<p>“You wanna drink?” Claude asks from where he’s sprawled on the couch, flipping idly through a newspaper.</p>
<p>“Love one.” Andrea says, managing a smile for his old friend. Claude rolls to his feet in a rustle of paper and groans as he stretches. He’d invited himself over after work, both of them needing to blow off steam. Narisa’s been on a warpath since Andrea's been back and he’s had to bite his tongue nearly through several times not to remind her that she’s the one who sanctioned his time off. Though really, she could just be doing for the sake of having something- and someone- to screech at. Andrea’s rolled with the punches fairly well so far. He’s lived through far worse after all.</p>
<p>They while away the hours. Evening rolling properly into night. Drinking, talking and laughing. Reminiscing about their old lives and how the fuck they’ve ended up here. Bitching about their lovely Director. It’s fun. But the lingering exhaustion pulls at the edges of Andrea’s mind. They’re just deciding on what they can scrounge up from his cupboards when there’s a knock at the door. Andrea can’t help the groan that squeaks out of him, nose smushed against the table. Claude laughs at him.</p>
<p>“Oh you big baby. I’ll go get it.”</p>
<p>“You always were my favourite.” Andrea says, reaching out to pat Claude as he walks by.</p>
<p>“I’ll tell Lucia that next time we see her, you cad.” Claude says, a wicked grin in his voice as he walks away. Andrea shudders.</p>
<p>“Please don’t.” He whines plaintively to the cold, uncaring tabletop. Knowing Lucia she’d actually go through with the old threat of shaving his beard off. But the table doesn’t care for his woes and he can hear Claude opening the front door.</p>
<p>“Yes- oh!”</p>
<p>The note of surprised worry in Claude’s voice has Andrea perking up a little. That’s unusual-</p>
<p>“Uh. Is Andrea here?”</p>
<p>The voice that sounds next has Andrea bolting to his feet and rushing towards the front door, all thoughts of fatigue vanishing in a heat wave of delight.</p>
<p>“Cloud!” He calls, voice bright with a dozen things, chief among them is relief. It’s been almost a <em> week </em>. He absolutely and pointedly ignores Claude stepping out of his way and rolling his eyes. Cloud’s hovering on the front step. Looking confused, tired and a little uncomfortable. But a lot of that fades when he sees Andrea.</p>
<p>“Hey.” Cloud replies, bright eyes shimmering with his small, hidden smile.</p>
<p>“What are you doing here, lovely?”</p>
<p>“I, uh. Doing my job actually. Here.” Cloud holds out a heavy manila envelope that Andrea hadn’t even noticed he was carrying. Too busy looking at that pretty face. The dancer beams and reaches out to take it.</p>
<p>“Thank you. I admit I’ve been waiting for this one for ages.”</p>
<p>“Sure. I uh. Sorry. Didn’t mean to disturb your evening.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be silly.” Andrea says, reaching out to curl a hand against Cloud’s cheek. The fact the other immediately leans into the touch sends both a spark of fondness and worry through Andrea. Cloud’s skin feels oddly cold. Especially for him. And Andrea doesn’t think it’s the night air. Andrea takes a step closer, a faint frown on his face. “Cloud...?”</p>
<p>“Mmm?”</p>
<p>“Are you alright?”</p>
<p>“I- yeah.” Cloud blinks, slow. His eyes heavy and the light in them wavering. “Yeah, I’m. Fine.”</p>
<p>Cloud’s lying. He’s lying and Andrea doesn’t know why. But it knots itself like thorns through his insides.</p>
<p>“Why don’t you come in?” Andrea says, voice soft as he strokes Cloud’s cheek.</p>
<p>“I-” Cloud frowns slightly, shaking his head faintly. There’s something worried in his eyes. That awful, but familiar look. Cloud thinking he’s out of place. “You have company.”</p>
<p>“I guarantee you Claude doesn’t mind.” Andrea says, glancing at Claude hovering behind him. “Do you dear?”</p>
<p>“Not at all. The more the merrier, I say!” Claude chimes, grinning. “We’ve been getting our drink on.”</p>
<p>Andrea rolls his eyes and hands the folder to Claude. Claude takes it, fluttering his eyes and making ridiculous kiss-y faces as he trots away disappearing back into the kitchen. Sometimes Andrea loves and hates the fact his long time cohort is simultaneously the most outrageous and thoughtful person he knows.</p>
<p>Now he has both hands free Andrea reaches out, gently coaxing and cajoling Cloud through the door. Cloud puts up token resistance. Glancing back over his shoulder before he folds with a sigh and steps inside. Andrea pulls him in, wrapping him up in his arms and burying his face in Cloud’s hair. He smells like motor oil, fresh air and sweat. The touch of Mako on his skin seems...stronger. Still, despite his worries, Andrea finds himself smiling as Cloud’s arms find their way around his waist in turn. There’s something hesitant in his posture still. In how lightly he’s gripping Andrea back. But Andrea’s fairly certain it’s just because of the quiet, lurking presence of Claude puttering about behind them.</p>
<p>“Silly boy.” Andrea chides gently. “You are <em> always </em> welcome here.”</p>
<p>“But-”</p>
<p>“No buts.” Andrea says, a teasing grin blossoming on his face. “Well, unless we’re talking about yours-”</p>
<p>“Shut up.” Cloud grumbles. Familiar and so very welcome Andrea squeezes him tighter, unable to stop himself from chuckling. Warm and soft as he pulls back enough to look down at Cloud. The other glances up, expression tinged with that same faint annoyance whenever he has to ‘put up’ with Andrea’s antics.</p>
<p>“Mmm. There you are my darling.” Andrea says, curling a hand against Cloud’s chin. Gently holding him in place as Andrea presses their foreheads together. Cloud’s eyes flutter, warm breath shivering out in a sigh against Andrea’s skin. Andrea can’t help another bright flare of worry. Cloud is <em> definitely </em> colder than he usually is. Skin bordering on clammy even. And this close Andrea can see that faint, flickering haze at the edges of Cloud’s eyes.</p>
<p>His heart seizes. Oh god. Has Cloud been dealing with that awful, worrying mind drift the entire time he’s been gone? He hadn’t even realized that was possible. Every time he’s seen Cloud fall into one, it only lasted a day at most. Perhaps it was foolish of him to assume anything based on that, but even so. That seems...wrong. Off. Especially given that Tifa’d told him that it doesn’t happen ‘as often anymore’- whatever that meant...</p>
<p>“Sweetheart-”</p>
<p>Cloud’s expression twists for a moment. He ducks away, tucking his head under Andrea’s chin, against the curve of his neck. The tips of his hair tickling Andrea’s skin as the blond shakes his head faintly. It hurts, but Andrea realizes that Cloud probably doesn’t want to get into it with someone else around.</p>
<p>“...Alright.” Andrea concedes. Reaching up to gently massage the back of Cloud’s neck. Cloud leans into him a little further, arms tightening against Andrea’s waist.</p>
<p>“Thanks.” He murmurs, a genuine note to his voice. It makes Andrea smile.</p>
<p>“Come on, beautiful.” Andrea says, taking one of Cloud’s hands as the other finally lets him go. The two of them head towards the kitchen and Andrea’s not in the least bit surprised that Cloud slips the hold before Claude can see them. Not big on affectionate displays around other’s is his little storm cloud. Certainly not in quiet, more intimate quarters like this. But it’s just a part of who Cloud is. In some ways Andrea’s learned to appreciate it. Like those moments of affection, of Cloud’s genuine heart peeking out, are something...special between them. Just for them.</p>
<p><em> For us. </em> Andrea thinks as he glances over his shoulder to smile at Cloud. “Would you like anything to drink?”</p>
<p>“Probably not a good idea.” Cloud says, sinking down into one of the kitchen chairs. Andrea tucks away his sting of worry and nods.</p>
<p>“Very well.”</p>
<p>Claude is as unsubtle as Andrea when it comes to admiring others. It’s one of the reasons they’ve always gotten along so well. Andrea’s not even the one Claude’s looking at and he can <em> feel </em> him staring.</p>
<p>“Oh my god- you have <em> actually </em> gotten prettier over these last few years.” Claude says as he walks over to Cloud, leaning down to peer at him, hand curled around his own chin. He hums and haws as he looks Cloud over. The blond shrinks back, something wary on his face.</p>
<p>“Do I know you?”</p>
<p>Claude takes Cloud’s prickly confusion all in stride with a laugh. “Oh you probably don’t remember me. I’m Claude. The one who did your nails and makeup that night at the Inn.”</p>
<p>“...O-oh.” Cloud looks a little shell shocked and Andrea decides to spare him.</p>
<p>“Leave him alone, little bee. He’s had a long day.”</p>
<p>“Sorry, sorry!” Claude says, but there’s a spark in his eyes that says he means it. He straightens up, grinning at Cloud. “I couldn’t help myself. You’re <em> so </em> cute.”</p>
<p>“H-huh?” Cloud blinks, wide-eyed. He looks torn between stunned, embarrassed and confused. Andrea has to bite his tongue to try and stop from laughing. Oh this precious boy. Whatever was Andrea going to do with him? Claude is clearly just as tickled because he reels back with a giggle.</p>
<p>“Oh my god, stop! Those eyes! You can’t be that pretty <em> and </em> that adorable.” Claude turns to Andrea with mock indigence, “Andi, tell him that’s cheating!”</p>
<p>“I would if I thought it would help. Alas we are out of luck on that front, I fear.”</p>
<p>Andrea pointedly ignores the fact he can hear Cloud muttering under his breath. Something along the lines of “So fucking weird...”</p>
<p>“So Cloud,” Claude says, scooping up his drink again and taking a sip. “Andi tells me you get to travel a whole lot for your work. What kinds of places do you end up?”</p>
<p>Cloud shrugs, still eyeing Claude a touch warrily.“Pretty much everywhere. Name it and I’ve probably been there.”</p>
<p>“That sounds amazing. I’m like Andi, that way. Haven’t been much of anywhere yet.”</p>
<p>“Hmm.”</p>
<p>“Cloud said he’d take me out there one of these days.” Andrea says, slipping into the conversation easily. “Didn’t you, lovely?”</p>
<p>Those tired eyes flicker over to his, something warm and genuine in them as he nods. “Yeah.”</p>
<p>God the fact that Cloud remembers that- that he <em> meant </em>it- is still so hard for Andrea to wrap his head around. Fuck, the temptation to kiss him senseless is unreal. But he doesn’t want to make Cloud feel uncomfortable. Instead Andrea reaches up to the top of the fridge and pulls down the recipe book Heleen had found for him the last time he popped by her shop.</p>
<p>“Claude, come give me a hand. I have no idea what I want and I need a second opinion.”</p>
<p>Claude, who <em> adores </em> cooking, scurries over quick as a flash. Together two of them pour through the pages, bickering over recipes and time. Claude naturally leaning towards the more...exotic ones by nature. Andrea firmly steers him back towards things that are both doable without taking a damn week and that he actually potentially has ingredients for.</p>
<p>By the time they get that settled- though Andrea’s still not convinced he has everything for a 1-to-1 recreation- Cloud’s been near silent for too long for Andrea to feel comfortable about it. He looks back and finds the blond leaning against the table. Some dark furrow on his brow, gazing at his phone on the tabletop. Focus far away. Andrea leaves Claude to start finding what he can in the cupboards and wanders over. Crouching down to rest a hand on Cloud’s knee. Those two toned eyes jump to his almost immediately and Andrea smiles.</p>
<p>“Why don’t you lay down a while? We’re just going to get supper on.”</p>
<p>“Sure I can trust you in here?” Cloud asks flatly, something like a smiling teasing the edges of his expression.</p>
<p>“Never going to let me live that down, are you?” Andrea sighs, fighting poorly against a grin.</p>
<p>“Nope.”</p>
<p>Andrea rolls his eyes and flicks the end of Cloud’s nose, stepping back as Cloud swipes at him. “Do you need anything, lovely?</p>
<p>Cloud shakes his head and gets to his feet. Andrea turns to go help Claude raiding the cupboards, but a flicker of movement catches the corner of his eye and he looks back in time to catch Cloud actually <em> stumble </em>. The motion is subtle, but it’s uncharacteristic enough that Cloud may as well have fallen flat on his face.</p>
<p>“Cloud?” Andrea calls, worried, taking a step towards the other. Cloud catches himself with a hand on the door frame, immediately waving Andrea off with the other.</p>
<p>“Stood up too fast. It’s fine.” He says, voice low and vanishes into the living room. Andrea bites the edge of his lips, gnawing absently as he pushes back his concern.</p>
<p><em> Stop overreacting, Andi. He’s tired. He’s </em> human. <em> Everyone stumbles sometimes. </em></p>
<p>He and Claude don’t have anywhere near the chemistry in the kitchen as Cloud and Tifa- or hell, even him and Marlene. But it’s still a whole ton of fun. Even if they do end up making a bit of a predictable mess. Andrea silently vows not to let Cloud back in here or else he will actually never hear the end of it.</p>
<p>As they set everything aside to simmer and bake, Claude excuses himself for the bathroom, but pauses in the doorway.</p>
<p>“Aww. Andi, come here.” He stage whispers into the kitchen. Andrea blinks at the unusual tone.</p>
<p>“Hmm?”</p>
<p>Making his way over to Claude’s side Andrea peeks around the corner and his heart all but melts.</p>
<p>Cloud’s fallen asleep on the couch. Booted feet planted firmly on the ground, upper body slightly twisted, head hanging at an odd angle.</p>
<p>“...Poor thing looks like he’s been through the ringer. Is he okay?”</p>
<p>Claude’s right. The low lamp light from the other side of the couch casts slightly ghastly shadows over his pale face. Highlighting the faint sheen to his skin Andrea’s noticed. It looks almost worse, despite the fact Cloud’s actually resting now.</p>
<p>“I think he’s just tired. He’s been out on a job for days now.”</p>
<p>“Well he’s gonna have an awful crick in his neck if he sleeps like that.”</p>
<p>Andrea nods. Can feel a sympathetic ache in his own as he looks on. Claude splits off to head to the washroom as Andrea moves to kneel down by the couch next to Cloud’s head. God he hates the idea of disturbing him, especially since it looks like he so desperately needs the rest. Perhaps he can move him like the other day...?</p>
<p>Of course it’s not that simple. Never is with Cloud.</p>
<p>The moment Andrea so much as touches him Cloud jerks, eyes fluttering and for a moment they look almost too green. But the strange color fades as Cloud props himself up. Something wild in his expression.</p>
<p>“Shit. Shit- I fell asleep-”</p>
<p>“Easy, it’s alright-” Andrea says, squeezing his hand against Cloud’s shoulder. But the other pulls away. Motions jerky and too quick. Oddly uncoordinated as he shifts to the edge of the couch. Andrea’s insides twist further. “Cloud, slow down.”</p>
<p>“No. No, I promised I’d be back-” Cloud’s voice trips off into a groan, a hand coming up to clutch the side of his head. Fingers curling into blond spikes as he shoves himself to his feet. “Fuck, what time is it?”</p>
<p>“It’s only been a few minutes. Really it’s- <em> Cloud </em>!”</p>
<p>Alarm bursts through Andrea’s chest, kicking his heart into double time as Cloud staggers on his next shaky step. Knees buckling as his breath leaves him in a rush. Andrea lurches, catching Cloud around the waist and pulling the sudden dead weight back against him. It’s a sickeningly easy thing to do even as Cloud’s legs give out. Andrea follows the pull to the ground. Crouching with Cloud cradled against his chest. Turning him so his head rests limply against Andrea’s upper arm.</p>
<p>“Cloud! Cloud? Sweetheart, can you hear me?”</p>
<p>Oh god. Now that Andrea can see his face properly, Cloud looks awful. Pale, grey tinged skin. Dotted by perspiration and tense lines of stress. Given the shadows hovering around his eyes and the worrying hollows of his face, he hasn’t been sleeping. Again. Or rather <em> still </em>.</p>
<p>Leslie’s cryptic words echo through the back of his mind.</p>
<p>“What have you gotten yourself into...” Andrea whispers, fervent and strained with worry, brushing a thumb along Cloud’s cheek.</p>
<p>A weight settles against his shoulder and Andrea tears his eyes away from Cloud’s pale face. Claude’s standing beside him, expression softly concerned as he holds out a damp, cool washcloth. Andrea accepts it with a quiet “Thank you.”</p>
<p>Gingerly, Andrea dabs at the faint perspiration along Cloud’s hair and down the sides of his face before shifting Cloud in his arms to rest the cloth against the back of his neck. Finally a real reaction, a faint shiver. Cloud makes a quiet noise, eyes fluttering. They peek open briefly, but have that horrible, senseless emptiness to them.</p>
<p>“Is he alright?” Claude asks, leaning down beside Andrea.</p>
<p>“...I don’t know.” Andrea says, heart sinking as he says it. Feels the still gaping voids in his knowledge about Cloud screaming back at him like an icy wind. “I don’t know.”</p>
<p>“Come on.” Claude says, reaching out to squeeze one of Andrea’s upper arms as he straightens up. “We’ve done this before, Andi. Let’s get him settled somewhere more comfy.”</p>
<p>“Right...” Andrea says, grip tightening thoughtlessly around Cloud. A part of him rebels at the idea of letting Cloud go. But he knows Claude is right. Working in the world of show business, they’ve both had their fair share of dealing with people fainting.</p>
<p><em> Assuming that’s what this is. </em> Andrea’s mind rumbles, but he pushes it back. Cloud doesn’t have a fever after all. So it’s his next best guess. Carefully he lifts Cloud up into his arms and doesn’t know how he feels that the action has become so...familiar. But he does know the horrible sinking feeling as Cloud hardly stirs at it. Head lolling listlessly. Andrea directs Claude to the bedroom and they work at getting Cloud comfortable.</p>
<p>Claude flicks on one of the lamps as Andrea strips Cloud of his gloves and boots. Handing them to Claude to set aside out by the door as he works off Cloud’s weapon harness and shoulder guard. Peeling off everything outside of Cloud’s shirt and trousers. So he can be as comfortable as he can.</p>
<p>Cloud stirs a bit as he works. But it’s little more than vague noises and brief flickers of his eyes. Once he’s gotten Cloud as comfortable as he can and sends Claude off to grab him another washcloth, Andrea scoots up the bed. Leans over Cloud’s prone form and gently strokes and pats at his cheek.</p>
<p>“Cloud? Cloud, come on sweetheart. I need you to focus.” Cloud gives another vague noise under his breath. Andrea swallows around the worry building in his chest. “Eyes open, darling. Come on.”</p>
<p>Cloud’s brow pinches, a soft, low groan slipping past his lips as his eyes finally open half way. God, he looks miles away. Andrea curls his hand against the side of his face, pressing to try and catch his attention.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong, Cloud? Are you ill?”</p>
<p>“Don’t get sick...” Cloud mutters, but the words slur down in his chest, hazy eyes fluttering again as he shudders. There’s a half choked little noise in the back of his throat that sounds too much like pain. Andrea’s heart trips over itself, the thorns wrapped around it digging in sharply.</p>
<p>Fuck. Fuck, Andrea has no idea what to do.</p>
<p>But he knows someone who will.</p>
<p>“Claude, could you grab my phone please?” Andrea asks as soon as the other returns with a freshly dampened washcloth, this one warm this time. His friend nods and scurries off immediately, returning a minute later with it. Andrea takes it, thanks him and dials out. It takes a few rings, but then there’s an answer.</p>
<p>“Tifa?”</p>
<p>“<em> Andi </em> ? <em> What’s wrong? </em>”</p>
<p><em> How sad is it </em> , Andrea thinks to himself, <em> That every time I call her it’s because something’s off. </em>He silently resolves himself to stop contacting her as only a ‘last resort’ even as he starts trying to explain.</p>
<p>“Cloud showed up here a while ago. But he fainted and now he’s insentient. I don’t know what’s wrong. He doesn’t have a fever, but-”</p>
<p>“<em> He doesn’t get sick </em> .” Tifa says, parroting the slurred words Cloud managed before passing out again. Andrea still doesn’t believe them. Not with the tension he can hear under her voice. There’s a rustle on Tifa’s end, “ <em> Just a second. Biggs? Can you- </em> ” Tifa must lower her phone because he doesn’t catch the rest of what she says. Another minute or so passes before there’s movement on the other end again. “ <em> I can be over in ten minutes. </em>”</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Andrea says, relief so sudden and sharp that it burns.</p>
<p>“<em> Of course. Just sit tight, okay? </em>”</p>
<p>Claude’s hand settles on Andrea’s shoulder again and the dancer looks up. His friend’s got a tentative smile on his face.</p>
<p>“I’ll take care of supper and keep an eye out.”</p>
<p>Andrea reaches up and squeezes his old friend’s hand in gratitude. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Claude says and slips away, shutting the door part way behind him. Andrea turns his attention back to Cloud. Pushing away the swarming, buzzing worries that threaten to choke him at every quiet noise and senseless twitch. At least they seem to be less frequent as the minutes tick by. Andrea doesn’t know what else to do but wipe the sweat from Cloud’s face. To talk to him in a low quiet voice about nothing in particular. Telling Cloud about what he’d been up to during his absence. Just mindless nothings to keep himself going as much as anything.</p>
<p>In what seems like too long, yet no time at all, he can hear voices out in the living room and a moment later there’s a quiet knock at the door. Tifa’s blessedly familiar face appears.</p>
<p>“Hey.” She calls, voice low and soft as she steps inside. Andrea gets to his feet and steps aside as she walks towards them, letting her take his place on the bedside. She smiles up at him again. “Thanks.”</p>
<p>Tifa gently takes one of Cloud’s hands, rubbing at the back of it as she reaches up to brush her other hand along his face.</p>
<p>“Cloud? Can you hear me?” Cloud shivers a bit and Tifa squeezes his hand. “It’s just me. You’re okay.”</p>
<p>The way Cloud turns to her reminds Andrea of the flowers at the church and at Elmyra’s house. Stretching towards the bright sun and skies above. This time when those eyes open there’s a flicker of light in them. Of life.</p>
<p>“...Tifa...” He whispers. There’s so much in his voice in just the simple sound of her name that Andrea feels...</p>
<p>Raw. Painful.</p>
<p>He shoves viciously back at the dark shadow that threatens to drown him in that moment. It’s fine. He knows well by now that these two share a connection. It’s something he’s always seen between them. Even if now it goes beyond anything quantifiable. Goes beyond words, beyond description. And any lingering ugliness he may be harbouring is less than nothing if that connection means Cloud’s going to get the help he so clearly needs.</p>
<p>“Hey there sleepy head.” Tifa says with an easy smile. Andrea has no idea how she does it. Doesn’t think he<em> wants </em> to understand just how many times she’s dealt with this to have such a routine. To be so natural at it. “What’s going on?”</p>
<p>Cloud shifts, gaze darting away from hers. A furrow on his brow for a moment before he opens his mouth to speak. Tifa beats him to it.</p>
<p>“Oh and if the words ‘nothing’ or ‘I’m fine’ come out of you, there’ll be hell to pay, Cloud Strife.”</p>
<p>Cloud’s jaw snaps shut. In any other circumstance it’d be funny. Hilarious even. But all Andrea feels is cold. Why is Cloud so careless with himself? Cloud shifts, jaw working anxiously for a moment, a dozen things passing behind his eyes and through the shadows on his face. Tifa waits him out. Silent and patient.</p>
<p>“...Just pushed myself too far. I’ll be-” Cloud cuts himself off, bright eyes flickering to Tifa’s face then away. “I’ll recover.”</p>
<p>“Hmm. You get one freebie.” Tifa shifts a little closer to him, tipping her head. Watching his face closely. “Is this because of what you’re doing for him?”</p>
<p>Andrea doesn’t know if she’s censoring herself out of habit or because he’s here. But everything inside him shifts. Focuses. Trying to make sense of things. It’s like looking through a screen and all he can see are vague shadows. Mere suggestion of what’s going on behind it.</p>
<p>“Mostly.” Cloud murmurs, not quite looking at her.</p>
<p>“Are you gonna stop?”</p>
<p>“No.” Cloud says. Immediate. A touch sharp. But that edge softens in the next moment as he looks up at her. Something like guilt to the tilt of his expression. To the quiet of his voice. “Sorry.”</p>
<p>Tifa sighs. A furrow to her expression, but she doesn’t seem surprised at all. Or really even all that hurt. Just tired, and accepting. Like she’d known the answer before she’d ever asked the question. Then she straightens a bit.</p>
<p>“Let me cancel your jobs this week.”</p>
<p>Cloud jerks, eyes flashing as he stares at her. “What-?”</p>
<p>“You need rest Cloud. <em> Real </em> rest.”</p>
<p>There’s so much unspoken hurt and <em> guilt </em> in Cloud’s face. He’s not even looking at him, but Andrea sways beneath the weight of it even as Cloud’s eyes drop away from Tifa.</p>
<p>“But-”</p>
<p>Tifa shakes her head, face softening as she smiles. A knowing tilt to her expression as she reaches out to brush at Cloud’s hair gently.</p>
<p>“It’s okay. The bar’s done great this month. We’ll be just fine if you take a few days for yourself.”</p>
<p>“Already did.” Cloud scowls, but he still looks so torn that it falls flat.</p>
<p>“Well then you need a few more.” Tifa says, voice light. But the longer Cloud dodges her gaze, the more she seems to deflate a little. “Please, Cloud? For all our sakes? Or do you wanna explain to the kids why you look like you belong in the old train graveyard?”</p>
<p>“’s not that bad.” Cloud mutters, rolling his eyes.</p>
<p>“Then you clearly haven’t seen yourself recently.”</p>
<p>The light in Cloud’s eyes shifts, wavers. Fades a touch as he pulls away from her. Shifting away to curl on his side in a painful, helpless defensive way. His face vanishing as he bows his head. Cloud’s whole body tense, the faintest shake to his shoulders.</p>
<p>“...’m sorry.” The words are barely a breath. Cracked and painful and Andrea’s heart tears beneath them. Tifa’s expression shifts, a dozen things flashing through her wide eyes. Finally she seems to settle on a sort of weary, heartbroken understanding.</p>
<p>“Hey...” She murmurs, voice low and soothing as she reaches out to rub Cloud’s shoulder. “It’s okay.”</p>
<p>Andrea slips away. He can’t be in this room another minute and hold his tongue. Can’t linger and not give into the urge to just...</p>
<p>He’s not even sure what. </p>
<p>All Andrea knows is that it <em> hurts </em>. Being there hurts. Not understanding hurts worse. Not being able to do anything about any of it is a knife to his wretched heart.</p>
<p>Andrea finds Claude in the kitchen, their supper finished and largely packed away. Andrea can only be glad for his friend’s foresight because the idea of eating anything at present makes Andrea want to retch. Andrea sinks into the chair Cloud had occupied earlier and buries his face in his hands.</p>
<p>“Do you wanna talk about it?” Claude asks, voice soft and quiet as he comes to stand by Andrea. The dancer shakes his head. “Okay. Do you need anything?”</p>
<p>Again Andrea shakes his head. Oh there’s things he needs, certainly. But nothing his long time friend can give him.</p>
<p>“Do you want me to stick around?”</p>
<p>At least Andrea rallies himself to look up at his friend. He tries for a smile but it breaks halfway through, “Thank you, but no. It’s alright. You head home Claude.”</p>
<p>“If you’re sure.” Claude says, expression still worried. “You can call me if you need, alright? Anytime.”</p>
<p>“I know.” Andrea says, rising to accept the tight hug Claude wraps around his shoulders. Andrea squeezes him back just as hard. Then he sees the other off, making sure he takes his portion of the meal along. Not long after there’s shuffling and Tifa steps out of the bedroom, closing the door most of the way as she does.</p>
<p>“You don’t mind if he spends the night?” Is the first thing she asks when she spots him. Immediately Andrea shakes his head.</p>
<p>“Of course not.”</p>
<p>“Thanks-”</p>
<p>“Tifa.” Andrea feels terribly rude cutting her off but he can’t hold his tongue anymore. The young woman starts and blinks at him.</p>
<p>“Yes?”</p>
<p>Andrea takes a step closer, “What’s happening? What did this to him?”</p>
<p>“He’s exhausted. He’s just done too much-”</p>
<p>“No. No that’s not all it is. He was <em> drifting </em>, Tifa. Bad. And that’s before he collapsed.”</p>
<p>Tifa sighs, arms wrapping around her waist as she rubs absently at her upper arm.</p>
<p>“I don’t know all the details. Honest.” Tifa says, calm and even. “I just know he’s doing a long term job for some guys-”</p>
<p>“Do you know who?”</p>
<p>“I can’t share that information, Andi. You know I can’t.”</p>
<p>“But look what it’s doing to him.” Andrea hisses, unable to get the image of Cloud falling out of his head. Unable to stop seeing his pale, pinched expression and hazy eyes. Unable to stop hearing the note of pain in his voice.</p>
<p>“I <em> know </em>.” Tifa’s expression twists and she bows her head. “You think I don’t? That I’m not worried?” The tempered fire in her eyes when she looks back up at Andrea is so similar to the one he sees in Cloud’s at times. Andrea reels a little from it. Dizzy from worry and hurt. “But Cloud chose to do this. And if we start tiptoeing around or treating him like a kid who can’t make up his own mind he’s going to disappear again. That’s what he does.”</p>
<p>There’s so much raw pain in her voice that Andrea flinches beneath the bite of it. Reminded, sharply, of when Cloud explained how and why things had fallen apart between him and Tifa. Tifa seems to drag herself firmly back in hand as she steadies herself with a deep breath.</p>
<p>“Right now, all any of us can do is trust him. And keep an eye out for when he’s being an idiot.”</p>
<p>Andrea subsides, shifting back to lean against the side of the couch. Head bowed and mind a mess of emotion.</p>
<p>“...I’m sorry.” He says, voice quiet, but genuine. “I didn’t mean to dredge anything up. I just.”</p>
<p>“I know.” Tifa says, just as soft. Something painful to the tilt of her smile. “Cloud is Cloud. And he’ll do what he does. We just have to try and be here for him when it gets to be too much.”</p>
<p>“...Right.”</p>
<p>Tifa starts heading for the door, stopping to tug on her shoes. Andrea trails her.</p>
<p>“I put him under a light Sleep spell. Just enough that he can hopefully fall into his own in a while.” She reaches out and rests a hand on Andrea’s upper arm. “Thanks for letting me know, Andi.”</p>
<p>“Of course. You know him far better than I do after all.”</p>
<p>“Don’t sell yourself short.” Tifa says, something warm and bright in the light of her eyes, even beneath the tired worry. “Let me know if you need anything, okay? I’ve got friends who can keep a half eye on the kids if needs be.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.”</p>
<p>Tifa nods, jostling his arm a little before she steps back. “You get some sleep too, alright? You’re looking a little rough around the edges.”</p>
<p>Andrea chuckles. He can’t argue with her there. He <em> feels </em> rough. “Sound advice. Good night, Tifa.”</p>
<p>“‘Night Andi. I’ll call tomorrow if I don’t hear from either of you first.”</p>
<p>Andrea waves of her off before locking down for the night. Mechanically goes about putting the leftovers away and getting himself ready for bed. Cloud’s still asleep when Andrea gingerly eases himself onto the other side of the bed. It definitely isn’t natural. Faint threads of silver-white light twisting through his pale hair and around his eyes whenever Cloud stirs. The sleep spell doing its damnedest to keep Cloud under. Andrea’s heart aches. Bleeds. He has to lay on his hands so he doesn’t reach out and pull the other close. Doesn’t risk breaking the tentative spell.</p>
<p><em> Just be here for him </em> . Andrea tells himself. Watching the slow, too even rise and fall of Cloud’s chest. <em> Just be here. He’s here. He’s safe </em>.</p>
<p>He repeats it to himself. Over and over. Over and over. Again and again. A mindless, thoughtless mantra that slowly, slowly drags him down. Down into his own silvery haze of sleep. Down into the now common splashes of gold and red. Silver and green and black. Twisting and shimmering like shadows beneath a lake. Hears the familiar-not-familiar voice whisper.</p>
<p>“...<em> return </em>...”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>(Huh...you know, I think this is the first chapter Andi hasn't kissed Cloud since they started kissing again back in chapter 4...wild.)</p>
<p>(And also: OMG WE BROKE THE Non-Smut to Smut PATTERN! xD)</p>
<p>Reposting playlist links here just because:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNGm0cwdB4w&amp;list=PLkpHCm15voh9etZl-I0hEO4y5XumAcia8</p>
<p>Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0NrkF6Axwm3fAKp1h4JwLN?si=fXnXfPVhQ06yUpCSA_ygSw</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Cracks in the Wall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cloud needs a Snickers- and a Nap.</p><p>And Avasti is a Gem!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Andrea thinks as soon as he opens his eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What do I do about work</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because the idea of going in today, of dealing with Narisa’s constant nagging, is the literal last thing he wants to do. Not after last night, not after all the worry that’s still festering inside him. Not after the way he can still see how pale and worn down Cloud still looks, even after a night of rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least Cloud’s still asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea turns carefully, reaching for his phone on the bedside table. Shit, it’s already nearly eight. He has to get moving if he’s going to make it for his nine o’clock class. But even as he thinks it Andrea hesitates, looking over at Cloud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With their spring time production over and done with, and summer just around the corner, Andrea’s work schedule has effectively been cut in half. One or two classes instead of three or four, depending on the day. Home by mid to late afternoon instead of night. Today being Monday means he only has his morning class technically. He’d be home by noon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But fuck, the idea of leaving Cloud here, alone, after everything else makes Andrea feel sick to his stomach. A roiling nausea, peppered by worry. He doesn’t want to wake him to tell Cloud that he has to leave. Cloud needs the rest too much. But he also can’t bring himself to just leave without letting Cloud know. He could leave a note, perhaps. But it feels. Wrong. So very wrong. Wrong enough to push Cloud away. Andrea knows him well enough by now to know the horrible guilt he saw in him last night isn’t going to be gone when he wakes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surely Narisa can give him a day. One day, one class’s worth of grace to-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A notification pops up on his phone. He blinks when he realizes it’s from Claude. Odd, it’s rare for Claude to text, he’s much more a caller than anything. He flicks open his phone and starts to read.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Good morning!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>So I figure you might still be asleep. Or hopefully at least Cloud is and I didn’t want to disturb you two. Don’t worry about class today. I contacted Narisa last night. Said you were going through some family stuff- and NO you don’t get to roll your eyes at me Mr! Stop that.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>I’m taking over your little flower garden for today. And yes, you’re welcome and yes I know I’m wonderful. But please shower me with praise anyway when you see me. ;)</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Love, your favourite.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>PS: Still ABSOLUTELY going to tell Lucia that.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Andrea could cry. It’s a real and very present danger as he reads and rereads Claude’s message. Gaia bless every single one of his sweet little bee’s days and all his future endeavours.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>I adore you. And I owe you big time. Shopping spree soon? My treat.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Hell. Yes.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Deal. Give my flowers my love.</b>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea feels as though a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. A chain unwrapped from around his heart. Andrea sets his phone back down, lays back and closes his eyes. Takes a moment to just breathe. Breathe and think.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How is he going to get Cloud to talk?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because this can’t go on. Andrea can’t let it. Not for Cloud’s sake. And not his own. He can’t bring himself to stand by and watch Cloud tear himself apart. Not if there’s even a chance he can do something to stop it. To help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rolling back to his side, Andrea watches Cloud’s face. Unlike the other times Andrea’s seen him asleep- truly asleep- he doesn’t look peaceful. Not by any stretch. Even now Andrea can see the lines of stress picked out across his brow, by his eyes and mouth. Tense and hurting. It isn’t right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But what can he do? If someone like Tifa, who’s known Cloud his whole life, can’t get him to open up about what he’s doing, what chance in hell does some- some </span>
  <em>
    <span>outsider</span>
  </em>
  <span> have?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Stop it.” Andrea whispers to himself. Harsh and quiet. Having some tired old pity party for himself isn’t going to do anyone any good. There’s nothing he can do about the fact he’s a relative newcomer to Cloud’s life. No sense in wallowing and feeling sorry for himself. Andrea hates dithering. Hates being indecisive and stationary. Especially when it comes to something he wants. To the things and people that he cares for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unconsciously Andrea brushes his fingers against his tattoo.</span>
</p><p><em><span>Don’t be stagnant, Andi.</span></em> <em><span>Be the bee. </span></em><span>He reminds himself, a long since abandoned mantra. Once he’d figured himself out. Figured out his life and his place in the world. But perhaps one he should readopt. Because things have changed.</span><em><span> He’s</span></em><span> changed.</span></p><p>
  <span>Cloud starts to stir a while later. Slow, sluggish. So unusual for him that it sparks against the worries still hovering in Andrea’s chest. Bright and sharp. Propping himself up on an arm, Andrea watches as Cloud’s eyes flutter open. He can tell in an instant that Cloud’s still not all there, not yet. But certainly more present than he was last night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not as much of a relief as it usually is, given the way Cloud’s gaze slowly tracks across the space between them. Looking, but not really </span>
  <em>
    <span>seeing</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a moment, a painful furrow burrows itself between his eyes and Cloud flinches. A hand raising to clutch the side of his head. A quiet, pained noise escaping the blond. Andrea shifts reaching out to lay his hand over Cloud’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud?” He calls softly, heart clenching in his chest when he feels Cloud shiver. Andrea squeezes his hand a little more firmly, “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud makes a low, vague noise, squeezing back against Andrea’s touch while shaking his head faintly. “’s just a headache. I’m fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud...” Andrea sighs, shifting closer. “You being in pain isn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>. What can I do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Water?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Of course. One moment.” Andrea carefully eases himself out of bed and hurries off. When he gets back Cloud’s propped himself up on shaking arms, head hanging and breathing far too heavy. Andrea bites his tongue, bites back his worries. Just a headache, huh? Setting the glass down on the side table and reaching to stack more pillow behind Cloud before easing him to lean back against them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sorry...” Cloud murmurs, not looking at him. Andrea shakes his head and hands Cloud the glass. He drains most of it, slowly. Still avoiding Andrea’s eye. Still drifting and too quiet. Right. No sense in pressing until Cloud’s more himself. When Cloud finally lowers the glass, Andrea reaches out, sets it aside and takes Cloud’s hand in his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Can you look at me a moment?” Cloud’s hand twitches in his. But finally he turns to Andrea, something tense and worried hovering at the edges of his eyes. Andrea takes a breath and pulls on a smile. “What’s your opinion on omelettes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...W-what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Omelettes. You know, eggs, cheese, meat, veggies- ring a bell?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Uh. It’s. Fine?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Good, because I have a serious craving.” Andrea squeezes Cloud’s hand, softening his tone. “Do you feel well enough to get up? You can supervise? Make sure I don’t smoke us out of here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s expression flickers, not quite amusement, but something close enough to that Andrea’s smile takes a little bit more of a genuine turn. The blond nods and Andrea gets to his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Excellent.” Andrea gets to his feet and heads over to the dresser, digging through it briefly. Digging out a set of comfortable clothes for Cloud and taking them to him. “I’ll go get started. Come join me when you’re ready.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea pauses before he leans in to kiss Cloud’s furrowed brow. The other blinks at him, something surprised flashing through his eyes. Andrea meets him with a softer smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I missed you.” He murmurs, brushing a hand against Cloud’s cheek before pulling away. As he turns a familiar hand closes around his wrist, tugging him to a stop before he takes more than a step away. Andrea looks back over his shoulder. There’s something...indescribable in Cloud’s expression. Something soft, yet hurting. Lost, yet certain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andrea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I mean it...” Cloud says, his grip tightening. Something brighter in his eyes for a moment. “Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Of course, my darling.” Andrea rests his free hand over Cloud’s gently. Cloud looks at him for a moment longer then nods and lets him go. Andrea hovers a moment. There’s a strange feeling in the air. Something he can’t quite put his finger on. But it reminds him a little of the one he’d had before Cloud had disappeared the first time. Quiet and tense. But he pushes it back. Pushes it down and away as he heads back to the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s got most of everything prepped before Cloud finds his way there. He looks more himself in a way, but Andrea can see how carefully he’s moving. An oddly slow shuffle to his step. Sees the way he coasts a hand along the wall. A quick support if he needs it. Cloud still looks positively drained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What time is it?” The blond asks, easing into the kitchen, lingering in the doorway. A faintly disconcerted frown on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>A little after nine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud stops, frown deepening. “...Don’t you have work?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not today.” Andrea says lightly, scraping the haphazard cubes of meat into a bowl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Is that because you actually don’t?” Cloud’s expression twists, a sharp contrast to his soft voice. “Or because of me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Does it matter?” The upset suspicion on Cloud’s face only deepens and Andrea sighs. “Claude took over my class today. I needed a break. What would you like in yours?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Whatever.” Cloud says, sinking carefully into the other chair. Leaning forward against the table, heels of his hands braced against his forehead, fingers in his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Two everything omelettes it is then. Tea?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea hands him a mug of herbal tea and his small, decorative set of cream pitcher and sugar bowl. Cloud almost looks amused at the delicate little bee’s detailing them both. It’s nice to see a little more life in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Amazingly, even though it takes him nearly twice as long as Andrea, Cloud actually eats almost the entire omelette Andrea gives him. That settles at least one of the worries that’s been hounding Andrea for days now. And he watches silently as Cloud gathers up their dishes and carries them over to the sink. It seems like an unconscious habit for him. Sweet certainly, and Andrea’s grateful for it today because he’s trying to think of how to approach things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s just going to tuck away the last of their dishes before Andrea finally decides.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...You’re working with the Turks. Aren’t you?” Andrea sees no sense in trying to be cute or clever. Not with Cloud’s health and well being so clearly on the line. Cloud jerks around, staring at Andrea. Something alarmed and wary shadowing his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea steels himself, lacing his hands on the table top as he watches Cloud. “Leslie’s been keeping an eye on some other things for me. Happened to stumble on some rumours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s expression goes cold. Hard. Those bright eyes narrowing a touch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Sure. Of course he did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea blinks, sitting up straighter. He can hear the quiet accusation in Cloud’s words and it makes him bristle. “What, you think I’m spying on you or something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something cold sparks in the air between them. A subtle, but painful stain hovering, like a wrong cord struck in the middle of a song. It’s not that Andrea feels like Cloud’s threatening him, no. But it does feel like he’s being assessed as a potential threat. Measured and weighed on some invisible scale. It makes something sit heavy in his gut. Then, finally, Cloud shakes his head and the tension shatters like glass. Scraping along Andrea’s nerves as it tumbles down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>No.” Cloud says, turning to tuck the dishes back up into the cupboard. “Just don’t get why you’re all so worried.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cord of tension threading through Andrea’s ribs pulls tighter. He takes a breath, letting it slowly. It doesn’t do much to lessen the bite of his words. “Well I wonder about that Cloud. Let’s explore it shall we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud seems to pick up on the sudden ice in his voice, shoulders going rigid. He looks back at Andrea again. Expression blank and tense. For a moment it looks like he’s going to speak, but Andrea pushes forward. He is so, so tired of Cloud’s constant disregard for his own well being. And his constant dismissal of everyone else’s concerns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Maybe it’s because you still look like death. Maybe it’s the fact you’ve stopped eating properly. Maybe it’s the fact you haven’t slept in god knows how long.” Cloud’s not denying any of it. Not trying to defend himself. It just makes everything inside Andrea scream louder, even as he gets to his feet. “Or maybe it’s because you </span>
  <em>
    <span>fainted last night</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Cloud. And I want to know why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally a snag in Cloud’s steely mask. A twist that sends his eyes darting to the ground as he shifts around to face him. “That’s- it’s not important.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes, you are. You’re running yourself into the ground, Cloud. Look at you.” Andrea gestures, because Cloud’s started shaking again. Faint beads of perspiration picking themselves out along his hairline. Pallid. Breath starting to come too quick. “You can barely stand right now. What could possibly be worth this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I don’t need your fucking pity.” Cloud hisses between gritted teeth, wavering on his feet even as he takes a step forward. “Am I seriously that pathetic you can’t let me handle things on my own?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You’re not pathetic.” Andrea says firmly, “What are you trying to handle?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Drop it. It’s got nothing to do with you.” He’s trying for anger, projecting that cold, iron mask so hard it’s just making the cracks in it all the more obvious. Makes it all too easy for Andrea to see the strange fear underneath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Maybe not. But I want to help-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck off, Andrea. I don’t need you to!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud stops. Something horrible and blank ripping through his expression. The light in his eyes dying out. Like that morning Andrea found him in the living room. Empty and cold. Then his eyes flutter, roll. Knees crumpling under him as he stumbles back. Andrea jerks from his place, heart climbing fast into his throat. He’s too far to stop him falling, but somehow Cloud catches himself on the counter. Stopping his momentum enough that he doesn’t crack his head on it as he slumps heavily to the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea crosses to Cloud’s side in a few quick steps, dropping down to crouch next to him. Reaches out to curl a hand against a too cold cheek. Tilts Cloud’s head up to see his face. Cloud’s panting, drawing in shaking breaths, eyes fluttering for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud?” Andrea says, patting his cheek, tracking his wavering focus. “Can you hear me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It takes a few moments. A few, pulse pounding, horrible moments before Cloud nods. In his eyes is so much heartbreaking horror that Andrea feels it like a blow to the chest. Staring at his shaking hands like he doesn’t recognize them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I didn’t- I didn’t mean that. Andrea, I’m sorry-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea shakes his head immediately. “Shhh. It’s alright. You’re exhausted, sweetheart. You don’t need to-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Fuck that. Yes I do.” Cloud drops his head, hands sinking into his hair tightly. “I’m laying all my shit on you. Again</span>
  <em>
    <span>. </span>
  </em>
  <span>You deserve better than- than </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It’s not about deserving anything, Cloud. I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>worried</span>
  </em>
  <span> about you. You’re not alright.” Andrea carefully brushes his thumb against Cloud’s cheek. “I only </span>
  <em>
    <span>wish</span>
  </em>
  <span> you would lay your burdens on me. I want to help you, but I can’t do that if I don’t know what’s happening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud shudders, curling into himself more. Andrea’s heart fractures deep in his chest. Forces himself to breath around it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Come on. Let’s move. No sense in doing this on the cold hard ground.” Andrea curls a hand against Cloud’s upper arm but the other jerks away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t.” Cloud’s words and actions edge on harsh, but there’s something frustrated and apologetic on his face as he glances up at him. “...I can do it myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Alright.” Andrea says, getting up and stepping back. Watching closely as Cloud carefully gets back to his feet. He only wavers once, pausing a moment to brace himself with the counter before he jerks his head. Motioning for Andrea to lead, which he does, with some hesitance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They move to the living room. Cloud projecting his old, prickly ‘don’t touch me’ vibe so hard that Andrea instinctively moves to his chair as the other practically collapses onto the couch. It’s going to be hard enough getting Cloud to talk without also encroaching on his personal space.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence hangs between them again for a time, until finally Andrea can stand it no more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud.” The other looks at him. Just a glance from beneath heavy eyes. “Please, what’s going on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud shakes his head again, the motion faintly listless. “I don’t want to get you involved.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I want to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andrea</span>
  <em>
    <span>–</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Frustration makes Cloud’s voice sharp, “You don’t know these people. You don’t get what they’re capable of</span>
  <em>
    <span>. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Even now. This isn’t some- some gang of thugs or whatever. This is- I’m not dragging you into it. I can’t.” Cloud’s expression cracks, something painful twisting his brow. “If you got hurt because of it- because of </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud.” Andrea feels torn. Torn because he knows why Cloud’s doing this. Why he’s pushing Andrea back, away and out of danger. But being treated like some sort of helpless victim sparks an old, familiar flame of anger deep in the pit of Andrea’s stomach. “I know you look at me and see little more than a performer. Someone who only knows how to dance and nothing else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>That’s-” Cloud says, looking startled, but Andrea holds up a hand, meeting his eyes seriously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I get it. I do. But what you need to realize that I survived- </span>
  <em>
    <span>thrived </span>
  </em>
  <span>even- in the most dangerous sector in Midgar. I earned my place in that town. And my seat at the tip top of the triangle of Don Corneo’s Three. Hell, the Don himself couldn’t even lay a hand on me after I smuggled a certain someone into his mansion. Granted, Shinra chased him into hiding. But if they hadn’t, he still wouldn’t have had a leg to stand on. Not without backing and definitely not without a fucking riot on his hands. My Bees and over half of Wall Market sat in the palm of my hand. Because I did the work and I put in the time to foster those connections.” Andrea sits back, folding his hands in his lap. “I appreciate the concern, Cloud. Truly. I know you’re worried because you care. But I’m not some wilting flower who needs protecting. I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>fully</span>
  </em>
  <span> capable of taking care of myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud looks faintly stunned as Andrea finishes. Sitting up a little straighter in his seat. A dozen things flickering through his expression before he finally finds his voice again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andrea, I’ve never thought you weren’t capable. But it’s not that-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Simple? I know that Cloud. It’s you. Nothing ever is.” The way Cloud flinches under the chill of his words makes Andrea pause. Breathe. A momentary stab of regret for the way he’d said it. But it doesn’t change the fact it needed to be said.  “The only ‘simple’ thing I know is this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea sits forward, shifting to brace his arms on his knees. Staring intently into those bright eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m with you.” He says every word carefully. Full of as much conviction and purpose as he can muster. “You might not feel ready to let me into your past Cloud. But at least let me into your present. To your now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s gaze wavers, drops. Andrea knows he doesn’t get it. Doesn’t understand. Cloud himself has told him as much in the past. Directly and indirectly. But he has to try. Try to make him see.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I was genuinely terrified last night. So much more so than I have ever been. Because at least the night you came to me near cleaved in half you gave me answers. You told me what had happened. Why should this be any different?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud frowns, jaw working. Looking for answers, for excuses, but he can’t seem to find any. His expression fragments further. Companion to Andrea’s heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> to stand by you in this Cloud. And I will. But I would feel a hell of a lot better about it if I knew what was standing on the other side of the field. So please. Tell me what we’re up against.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything around them goes still. Quiet. A breath caught and held between painful heartbeats. Then the moment shatters in time to Cloud’s heavy, weary sigh. To the slump of his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Shinra.” He says quietly, the word a faint curse on his lips. “Or what’s left of it anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>But you’re-” Andrea starts. Stops. Tries to make sense of the pieces he has, but can’t see the clear picture. “Aren’t you working with them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud scoffs, shaking his head. “With them, for them. Fuck if I know anymore. Doesn’t ever seem to make a difference anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What are they asking you to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud reaches up and rubs at his forehead absently, eyes drifting towards the window. “How much do you know about the old higher ups?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I knew their names and most of their faces. Palmer used to come down to the Inn. Frequently.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Ever meet that bastard Hojo?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea hasn’t ever heard Cloud express that level of cold, seething malice before. All of it laced through the sound of that name. It sends something of shiver up his spine even as he shakes his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>No. No he’s one of the ones I never met. And I only knew of him. Head of their science department, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah.” Cloud says, and there’s a scoff in his voice. Laced with something harsh. Something hateful. “Well, I’m cleaning up the rest of his bullshit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>There’s...</span>
  <em>
    <span>facilities</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Cloud says and there’s so much dark poison in the word, in his tone, that Andrea draws back slightly. “Under Midgar, and a bunch of other places too. Leftovers I guess, from when he was running shit. My job’s sweeping through them. Clearing ‘em out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Of what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You don’t want to know. Everything that fucker ever touched is-” Cloud cuts himself off. Teeth gritting as he drops his head. Shakes it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ice in Andrea’s spine only spreads, reaching into the gaps between his ribs. Oh god. He remembers, suddenly, whispers he would catch now and again in the old days. Of strange sounds or smells leaking up from the ground beneath their feet. Something like screaming. People tended to pay it no mind. Blamed the reactors or monsters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea takes a moment to steady himself. He can’t say he expected Cloud to be so...open. But now that he has been Andrea’s mind is a whirl with thoughts. Most of them unpleasant. But chiefly among them lies one perhaps not so simple question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Can I ask something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud nods. An exhausted yet bracing motion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Why are you doing it? I’ve been under the impression that you hate Shinra. Why choose to help what’s left of them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m not...” Cloud trails off. Hands fisting tight together. He can’t seem to bring himself to meet the dancer’s eyes. “I’m not doing this for them. I’m doing it for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s...not at all what Andrea expected. He’d thought, maybe, that Shinra had something on him. Some kind of leverage or something. That they’d talked, or rather </span>
  <em>
    <span>forced</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Cloud into it. But no. He can see from Cloud’s face, the bright fire in his eyes that that’s not the case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I want. Answers.” Cloud says at length, a furrow to his brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>About what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Me.” The word is barely a whisper. Soft, but jagged. Cloud’s shoulders hunching further. “About shit they did–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea gut sinks when Cloud grits his teeth against the next words. Stiffing them, choking them back. Andrea feels a weight in his chest. Because he doubts Cloud’s just talking about whatever...’procedure’ he went through when he became a SOLDIER. No. Cloud’s hesitance and anger speaks to something. More. Something </span>
  <em>
    <span>worse</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I...I-I’m–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s voice cuts off again, sharply. Andrea’s attention jerks fully back him. Eyes widening when he sees Cloud </span>
  <em>
    <span>trembling</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The edges of his vision hazing over again. Cloud’s expression twists sharply, actual fear bleeding into it. Andrea moves, crossing over to sit beside him, clasping Cloud’s hands beneath one of his and bending to catch his eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey, hey, hey. Shhh. Easy. It’s alright, Cloud. Breathe darling.” Cloud gasps, like he’s forgotten he could. Andrea’s heart twists and he reaches out. Brushes the backs of his fingers against the side of Cloud’s face. Slow and soothing. “Shhh...it’s okay. You don’t need to talk about it if you don’t feel up to it right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sorry...I’m sorry-” Cloud chokes out and Andrea shakes his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Shh. It’s alright. That’s enough for now, hmm?” Andrea murmurs, calm and even. In the back of his mind, however, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>seethes</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Cloud may have ‘chosen’ to do this. But like hell Shinra isn’t more than capable of cleaning up their own messes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead they’ve got Cloud running himself headfirst into the ground. Into something that’s so obviously reawakening whatever unspeakable traumas this man’s suffered in the past. Fighting monsters and god knows what else. And he can’t imagine the bastards have any sort of</span>
  <em>
    <span> good</span>
  </em>
  <span> intention in it. Even if Cloud does by trying to keep people safe from the atrocities sleeping beneath all their feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least now he has names. Has something- someone- to direct the slowly building fury to. Like hell Andrea’s going to let those bastards intrude any further into Cloud’s life. Like fuck they’ll ever lay their hands on him again. He doesn’t need</span>
  <em>
    <span> details</span>
  </em>
  <span> to know whatever they’ve done to the man in front of him was horrific. He can see it. Plain as day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea knows how to play their sick little games. It’s not something he enjoys, but he knows this old song and dance. Knows it very, </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> well. He never would’ve survived his life thus far without learning it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s shaky and still breathing a touch too quick for comfort. Andrea holds onto him and waits. Breathes. Stews quietly in the back of his mind as Cloud slowly comes around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God. It’s going to be rough as hell if Cloud ever finds it in himself to finally tell Andrea the truth about himself. About his life. He doesn’t want to put that entire burden on Cloud’s shoulders. Not when he sees just how badly it affects him. So maybe there’s a way he could-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Actually, that might not be a terrible idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea squeezes both of Cloud’s hands gently, coaxing the other to look at him. Andrea offers him a tentative smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>If she’s alright with it, would </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> be okay if I asked Tifa a few things? About you, I mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Yeah.” Cloud nods carefully after a momentary flicker of surprise. Then he meets Andrea’s eyes. A painful smile lining the edge of his mouth as he shrugs. “She remembers shit better than me anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s always something of a sting. To be reminded of Cloud’s hazy, fragmented memories. But Andrea shakes it away and chuckles slightly. “Would you let her know that? I don’t want her to think I’m...prying.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You’re not.” Cloud shakes his head, voice firm and certain. In that no-nonsense way of his. “But I’ll tell her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Thank you.” Andrea says, gently lifting one of Cloud’s hands to kiss the back of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The quiet that settles between them this time is much more familiar. Not </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>, not yet. But softer from what it has been near all morning. The faint sounds of Edge leaking in through the walls. Andrea’s neighbours shuffling about and the distant sounds of traffic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andrea...?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s soft voice catches Andrea’s attention, jarring and sudden. It’s so unusual for him to break the quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Don’t think you don’t- that you don’t count. That you didn’t help. You did. You do. A lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea feels torn. Heart fluttering because Cloud’s words soothe some of the ache that’s been festering inside him since last night. But god, he doesn’t want Cloud to feel like he has to apologize for needing something Andrea can’t give him. There’s so few things Cloud allows himself anyway. Especially as a means of help and comfort. Andrea will be damned if Cloud thinks he needs to stop reaching out to one of those sources. Especially one that’s so clearly vital.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud-” He tries, but the blond just shakes his head. The breath he lets out shakes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m sorry. Sorry I’m such a-” Cloud’s expression twists into something painful. “-a </span>
  <em>
    <span>freak, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I can’t even-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You are nothing of the sort.” Andrea cuts him off immediately, releasing one of his hands to squeeze his shoulder. “I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through. It’s not my intent to sit here and poke and prod at old wounds. I just-” Andrea absently rubs the tense muscle under his hand. His words and tone careful, “Want to understand so I can try and help you. So I don’t hurt you-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You don’t.” Cloud cuts him off. He looks halfway horrified by the idea. Staring at Andrea, wide-eyed and shocked as he shakes his head. “Andrea-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The words catch in the back of Cloud’s throat. As they so often do when he’s overwhelmed, or feeling a touch too much. He shakes his head, frustration building in the tilt of his expression as he struggles. Fighting himself to get the words out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Being here. Being around you. I...I can </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathe</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And I don’t feel so...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s heart flutters slightly. Oh. Perhaps it’s silly, but Andrea can’t help but be touched by the admission. Because he’s come to associate that notion with what Cloud had told him all that time ago. About the world beyond and how Cloud, by his own word, feels a sense of freedom out there. From the haze of his memories and the haunting nature of his past.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> The idea that Cloud finds even a modicum of that in being here, being with </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> is...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea has no words to describe it. But before he can say it Cloud’s sighing, that awful, upset furrow digging itself deep between his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sorry I-. I don’t know how to. How to explain it right-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea catches his cheek in hand, smiling and shaking his head as those two toned eyes flicker to his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t be silly. You already did.” Andrea squeezes the hand he’s still holding, gently shifting to lace their fingers together. “You said you like being here. You want it, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah.” There’s that quiet, heartbreaking relief in Cloud’s eyes again. At being heard, being understood. “Yeah it. It’s good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m glad. Because I very, very much enjoy having you here. Being with you.”Andrea tilts his head, watching those lovely eyes even as they dart away. Something stunned and quietly embarrassed in their depths. “So </span>
  <em>
    <span>let </span>
  </em>
  <span>me be here for you, hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud huffs, a slightly wet, breathy sound that shakes his shoulders. Something faintly wry twisting his lips. “Right...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea smiles, goes to stand, but Cloud squeezes his hand. Another tenuous furrow to his brow as he looks up at Andrea again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the one who called Tifa last night. Weren’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea blinks. Why was Cloud bringing that up? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes...?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You didn’t need to. I’d have been fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You needed her. There’s nothing wrong with that Cloud.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>But...” Cloud looks at him, confused and slightly guilty. “You were upset.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh my darling.” Andrea’s heart splinters again. Shit, had he said something? Or had Cloud just noticed it in that silent, unexpected way of his? God, if that’s the case then how? Especially given how unwell he’d been. Andrea sighs. “Listen, I won’t sit here and pretend. Or lie and say it doesn’t hurt to know that I can’t help when you slip away like that- at least not like Tifa does.” Cloud flinches, but Andrea catches his chin before he can turn away. “But you being okay? Getting the help you need when you need it? </span>
  <em>
    <span>That</span>
  </em>
  <span> is what matters to me, Cloud. More so than any silly hurt feelings I might have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I don’t think they’re silly.” Cloud says in that familiar, stubborn way of his. “Tifa’s just. She’s known me the longest. She got dragged through a lot of my bullshit. So there’s part of me- a </span>
  <em>
    <span>big</span>
  </em>
  <span> part- that...fuck. How do I explain this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea bites his tongue to stop from speaking. Everything in him turned to hyper focus as the words slowly edge their way past Cloud’s lips. Another answer to the ongoing riddle of his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>For a long time she was the one real link I had. To reality. To- to </span>
  <em>
    <span>myself</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Andrea’s heart twists. All too easy to remember Cloud’s breakdown. And the horrifying truths that’d been exposed then. “Tifa pieced me back together. Helped me make sense of what was going on in my fucked up head. Dragged me back out.” It’s another one of the odd moments, where Andrea’s brain has to try and wrap itself around the fact Cloud sounds like he’s speaking literally about such strange and abstract things. “That’s why she...</span>
  <em>
    <span>registers, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I guess. Like a big, flashing neon sign saying ‘This way to reality’. Because when I couldn’t trust myself, I could trust her. So yeah. She has an easier time of it than...literally anyone else I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a touch to Andrea’s face and the dancer starts slightly. He hadn’t even realized Cloud moved to reach for him. The touch is delicate, light. One of those impossibly gentle touches that’s so inherently precious because Andrea knows there’s so much strength behind it. The look in Cloud’s eyes threatens to stop his heart though. So impossibly intent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>That doesn’t mean you’re not important to me, Andrea. That I don’t hear you. Or see. I do. I swear I do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud...” Andrea whispers. Something inside him surging and settling all at once. God, he hadn’t thought he needed to hear such a thing. Hadn’t thought that he-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s mind pauses. Stalls. Turning the thought over in his head. Realizing the truth that even he hadn’t seen. The lie he’d told himself that Cloud has already put to rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea hadn’t thought that he counted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Cloud had</span>
  <em>
    <span> noticed that</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Despite everything else. Despite how exhausted and sick and whatever else he was, Cloud had seen that quietly building anxiety. And in true fashion, had cut straight through to the heart of the matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But before Andrea can speak, before he can do much of anything really, Cloud’s moving. Getting to his feet. Andrea starts, watching him wide eyed as the other takes a few steps away, shoulders slumping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...But I know this isn’t fair to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea shakes his head even though Cloud’s not looking at him, shifting to perch at the very edge of the couch. “Cloud. It’s not about me-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It is. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>should</span>
  </em>
  <span> be. You’re right to be upset, Andrea. Or angry. Or- or whatever else. No one should have to deal with my level of bullshit.” Cloud’s hands clench to fists at his sides. The breath he takes shudders and Andrea’s heart aches from the sound. “So I know I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s something...off about Cloud’s voice. About his tone and the quiet, bracing nature of it. Something anxious needles itself against Andrea’s heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud...?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...I know I don’t have any right to ask this, but. Would you give me a little more time? Just let me finish dealing with all this. This </span>
  <em>
    <span>mess</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Cloud gestures vaguely to the world beyond the window. “And I’ll tell you. Whatever you wanna know. All of it, if that’s what you want.” Cloud nods, a sharp, affirming motion to himself and turns back around. Meeting Andrea’s gaze head on. “I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh god.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>There Cloud goes again. Stealing Andrea’s breath. His thoughts. His voice. His </span>
  <em>
    <span>heart</span>
  </em>
  <span>. All with two simple words. But given so much weight, so much </span>
  <em>
    <span>meaning</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the way he says them. And paired with that look in his eyes, bright and fiercely determined...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea has no chance against it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Especially because there’s also fear there. Fear and anxiety. A shadow that Andrea’s always seen, lurking just under the surface. So much silent, aching pain that Andrea can feel the weight of it pressing down on his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud has no idea just how fucking brave he is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dancer gets to his feet, slowly. Unable to look away from those impossible eyes. He reaches out a hand, amazed when it doesn’t shake, given the feelings coursing through him like electricity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Come here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud stares at him, something startled to the edges of his expression. Then it twists, falls, sharpens. His next breath wavering as he reaches back to take Andrea’s hand. Letting Andrea pull him in close. Folding himself into the circle of Andrea’s arms even as Cloud’s come up to clutch him back. Fingers twisting into the back of Andrea’s shirt as the dancer reaches a hand up to bury it into Cloud’s messy hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t let me run, Andrea.” Cloud whispers. Heated and shaking against Andrea’s shoulder. “Don’t let me run from this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>god</span>
  </em>
  <span> does Andrea see in that moment that Cloud means that for so much more than this moment. Than them and everything that lies between them. He’s begging Andrea not to let him run from his demons. From his past. From his promises. Asking Andrea to stand behind him, to push him forward into hell if needs be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s asking Andrea for courage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea prays he has enough to do what Cloud is asking of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> running.” Andrea murmurs back, fervent and heated as he clutches Cloud closer. “You’re a fighter. A survivor. I’ve always known that about you. But please, Cloud.” Andrea draws back, enough that he can look at Cloud’s face. Enough that he can reach and curl his hand against the side of it. “Please don’t think you have to do this alone. Don’t push and put yourself at risk when you don’t have to.” Andrea’s not sure which of them closes the gap. Which of them shifts to press their foreheads together. “I’m here for you, Cloud. And I’m not going anywhere. That’s something </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> can promise </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s the first time Andrea’s ever seen Cloud actually cry. And it’s not loud, or dramatic. Just a hitch of breath and a faint slipstream of silvery tears down too pale, freckled cheeks. Over near as quick as it started when Cloud squeezes his eyes shut, reaching up to rub bruskly at his face. Andrea catches his hands before he can, gently tugging them away and replacing them with his own. Gently brushing at still too pale skin. But it’s Cloud here with him in this moment. The haze from his eyes is gone now. Andrea can’t help the breath that shudders out of him as he gazes down into the surreal depths.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Can I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Stop asking and just kiss me already.” Cloud says, low and a touch of an annoyed frown on his face. But it fades the next moment. “...Please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh hell. That’s borderline cruel. The combination of those eyes, that tone, the quiet plea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea closes the distance between them without thought. Shifting to frame Cloud’s ears with his hands, gently tilting his head to kiss him. Some knot insides him loosens as Cloud melts into him at the contact. Some thorn pulls free of his heart as Cloud’s grip on him tightens. Pulls him closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s no fire to this moment. No build of need or desperation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just a quiet, flowing warmth that eases itself, soft and smooth as silk over Andrea’s rattled nerves. Soothing and quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s not sure how long they stand there. Lips pressing and drifting apart in tender brushes. Andrea toying absently with Cloud’s soft hair and Cloud hands’ shifting from fists to lying flat along his back. But still, the fact that Cloud’s trembling eventually  breaks through the gentle haze. Stokes the quiet, worried embers still nestled in Andrea’s heart. He pulls back, smiling a little at the soft, questioning noise Cloud makes as he does.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You feel up to getting some more rest?” Andrea asks softly, heart twinging a little when Cloud blinks up at him with tired eyes. The blond’s silent for a few moments then he nods. Weary sigh ghosting warm over Andrea’s skin. “Come on then. Let’s go back to bed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they climb back under the covers, Andrea doesn’t even have to coax Cloud over. The other shifts back into his hold without question or thought, letting Andrea clutch him close and safe. Tousled hair tickling the skin of his neck and chin as Cloud ducks into the curve of his neck. Their legs tangled comfortably, thoughtlessly. Cloud lets out a slow, tired breath, nestling a little closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Rest well, my darling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You too.” Comes the half mumbled whisper. Cool and sweet against Andrea’s skin. Andrea squeezes him tight and kisses the top of his head. Closing his eyes and listening as Cloud finally lets himself rest. Andrea follows him a while later, sinking into a quiet, surprisingly dreamless sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Indulgence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Avasti is an absolutely amazing, lovely, wonderful person- who catches when I have characters apparently talking to themselves through strings of dialogue. And other such shenanigans.</p><p>Also this chapter title is not kidding. This is absolutely self indulgence on my part because HECK do these boys and I need a break. Enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Andrea hasn’t bothered checking the time, but it’s likely past noon. Cloud looks- hell, <em> feels </em>- so much more relaxed now than he was earlier in the day that Andrea’s content to stay where he is. Rubbing absently at Cloud’s shoulders and upper back. Watching his peaceful face. He’s actually gained back a lot of his color now. It’s another layer of relief over Andrea’s worries.</p><p>They’ve ended up turned a bit as they slept. Andrea largely on his back, Cloud cradled in the crook of his arm. Head against his chest and one leg shifted up to drape across Andrea’s thigh. Cloud shifts against him, with a quiet, senseless noise in his sleep. Andrea smiles a little, the low embers of desire stirring in his gut when he feels the press of Cloud’s erection against his hip. He’s done it a few times now since Andrea came to. An unconscious motion, absently seeking pressure. Pleasure.</p><p><em> Sweet boy. </em> Andrea thinks, wondering if Cloud’s dreaming. He half hopes Cloud will wake. But it’s fine if he doesn’t. Andrea isn’t bothered by it, and Cloud still has a lot of rest to catch up on. For now he’s just content to be beside him. Twining his fingers lazily through messy spikes. He loves the haphazard longer strands that sit against Cloud’s neck. Makes it fun to picture Cloud with longer hair. Draping strands of champagne gold-</p><p>“What’re you doing...?”</p><p>Cloud’s sleep rough, slurred voice makes Andrea jump. Oops. “I’m sorry my dear. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”</p><p>“Mmm.” Cloud grumbles, turning his face more into Andrea’s chest. “You didn’t. Was waking up anyway.”</p><p>Andrea smiles, dragging his fingers along the back of Cloud’s neck slowly. Just a hint of nails. Cloud shivers a bit beneath the touch. Shifting against Andrea’s hip again. Andrea feels the sudden, reactionary tension ripple up Cloud’s spine.</p><p>“Shit. S-sorry.” Cloud mutters, going to pull away, But Andrea stops him, wrapping his arm back around Cloud’s shoulders and rubbing absent circles on his upper arm.</p><p>“Were you having a nice dream, perchance?” Cloud shifts a bit in his hold, but doesn’t try to pull away again. His resolute silence speaks volumes. Silly boy. He doesn’t have anything to be shy about. Andrea trails a hand down Cloud’s side, whirling a lazy finger against Cloud’s hip. “Want a hand?” He asks, light and casual. “If not, I’d be happy to watch.”</p><p>Cloud groans, the sound quietly sharp and embarrassed. Andrea chuckles, which definitely doesn’t help matters. But he can’t help it. The boy’s too sweet. Andrea mock pouts a little,</p><p>“Aww. Is that no then?”</p><p>Finally Cloud peeks up at him. Scowl ruined quite thoroughly by his tousled hair and pink tinted ears. But despite all that, Andrea feels another layer of relief settle somewhere deep inside him. God, Cloud looks so much better now. So much more himself. Such life and light in those beautiful eyes.</p><p>“Shut up and touch me already.” Cloud says, already shifting up to catch Andrea’s lips with his own. Andrea hums in quiet, pleased surprise. Kissing Cloud back even as he slips his fingers down past the waistband of Cloud’s underwear, stroking at smooth, sleep warmed skin. Smiling into Cloud’s lips when he feels the other curl a hand against his neck.</p><p>Cloud makes a low noise and moves to lean over Andrea further. Kissing him more firmly. Andrea groans into Cloud’s lips, heat curling through his veins. Sitting low in his stomach. His hands curl against those sharp hips, pulling Cloud in closer. After a moment, Cloud pulls back slightly, eyeing Andrea with a faint furrow between his eyes.</p><p>“Aren’t you gonna...?”</p><p>“I will if you’d like.” Andrea tilts his head, trailing his eyes along Cloud’s lovely frame. “But I’d very much like to watch. If you’re up for it, of course.”</p><p>“...I-” There’s that pretty flush of color in Cloud’s cheeks again. Sweet and lovely. A bright spark of surprise in his eyes.</p><p>“You don’t have to, if you’re not comfortable with it.” Andrea soothes. Shifting one of his hands up to Cloud’s waist, petting the warm skin.</p><p>“Mm. That’s not-” Cloud says, shaking his head briefly before he pauses. Swallows. Nods. “It’s. Fine.”</p><p>Oh. Andrea recognizes that particular brand of hesitation. It’s embarrassment, yes. But there’s also a touch of Cloud not understanding <em> why </em> Andrea would ask for- or even want such a thing. Something in Andrea cracks a little but he pushes it back. Away. He’d told Cloud he’d do this with him, for him, as many times as it takes. And he’d meant it.</p><p>“Want to take your pants off for me then, lovely?” Andrea says, playfully snapping the elastic of Cloud’s boxes against his hip. Chuckling when the other jumps and glares at him for half a second. Still Cloud shifts, getting up on his knees and together they strip him.</p><p>Andrea’s a little surprised by how aroused Cloud is. Already close to straining. He bites at the corner of his lips, humming low in his chest. “Must’ve been a <em> very </em> nice dream indeed.”</p><p>Cloud doesn’t even have to tell him to shut up this time. The irritable roll of his eyes does that and then some. Not that Andrea intends to listen, of course. Still, he gets a little distracted as Cloud rids himself of his shirt next, one smooth, fluid movement so he sits bare before the dancer.</p><p>God, just looking at him is enough for Andrea’s own cock to begin to stir.</p><p>Andrea sheds his own shirt at Cloud’s silent request. A frankly adorable little pull at the hem of it. Then Andrea coaxes him up. Getting Cloud to sit astride his waist, his weight settling comfortably against him. The position gives Andrea an absolutely breathtaking view. He can’t help reaching out to run his hands down to Cloud’s hips, pausing on the way to toy with Cloud’s rosy nipples. Grinning to himself at the way it makes Cloud’s breath hitch with a quiet moan.</p><p>“There’s lube in the drawer if you’d like.” Andrea offers when Cloud starts fidgeting a little. Smiling when Cloud nods faintly, leaning up and over to riffle through the drawer. He settles back over Andrea, twisting the bottle absently between his hands. Andrea hums, running his hands over Cloud’s thighs. Slow and soothing. Cloud’s still clearly tense. Nervous. Andrea can feel him shifting. Sees the way Cloud’s absently biting at his lips. Those bright eyes darting.</p><p>“What’s going through that beautiful head of yours?” Andrea asks quietly.</p><p>“I...” Cloud starts but cuts himself off, color darkening on his cheeks as he swallows. “I- uh.”</p><p>“What would you like, lovely?” Andrea knows that look in his eyes. Sees the question Cloud can’t bring himself to ask. The request he doesn’t know if he should make. “You can tell me.”</p><p>Cloud fights with himself for a while. Eyes darting, gnawing at his lower lip. Then he takes a steadying breath, swallows and glances at Andrea. “...Talk to me?”</p><p>“About what?” Andrea coaxes, gently squeezing Cloud’s waist.</p><p>“I...w-what you usually do...?”</p><p>Andrea feels a flicker of amazement rush through him. Oh? Now this is a surprise. Cloud actually asking him for this. Something warm and pleased coils through Andrea’s veins, making a smile curl the edges of his lips.</p><p>“Well, well. What’s this?”</p><p>Cloud groans, shoulders hitching. A plea in his quiet voice. “Don’t make it. Weird.”</p><p>“My apologies.” Andrea says, reaching up to cup one of Cloud’s cheeks, coaxing the other to look at him. It isn’t his intent to poke at Cloud’s insecurities here. Not at all. “I suppose I’m just surprised. And proud.”</p><p>Cloud blinks, surprise clear on his face. “H-huh?”</p><p>“I never expected you to ask.” Andrea replies, shifting his hand to slowly trace a finger along Cloud’s lower lip. “A little talk’s the least I can do to reward such a good boy.”</p><p>He feels Cloud twitch against him. A faint, choked noise high in the back of his throat. A flicker of heated surprise in his face. And no matter how many times he gets to provoke such a reaction from Cloud, it always twists something in Andrea’s gut.</p><p>“And you are good for me, Cloud.” Andrea says, dragging his hand back down Cloud’s torso. Cloud whines. The heat inside Andrea flaring, bright and sharp. Curling higher inside him as Cloud gasps and shifts against him. Feeling the way Cloud trembles slightly, cock leaking against Andrea’s stomach.“In so many ways.”</p><p>He hears the faint snick of the bottle being opened. Can’t help the way his gaze darts down to watch as Cloud finally gets a hand around his cock.</p><p>“Show me.” Andrea breathes, desire pitching his voice low. Cloud peers down at him with lidded eyes. “Show me how you pleasure yourself.”</p><p>“Andrea...”</p><p>Cloud shivers above him, catching his lower lip in his teeth. A flash of white against the flush of color to his skin. Cloud wants him to talk. And there’s a few things Andrea can think, that he’s meant to say for a while now. So Andrea takes a breath and watches those surreal eyes as he speaks.</p><p>“I know you’re not quite ready to believe me yet. But I want you to listen. Will you try?”</p><p>Cloud stares back at him, surprised. Uncertain. But he nods.</p><p>“I mean it, Cloud.” Andrea says, perfectly sincere. “When I say you’re the most beautiful soul I’ve ever seen. And yes, when we first met it was because of your appearance. Your physique. Your elegance and strength.”</p><p>As he speaks Andrea runs his hands along Cloud’s body. From his corded thighs to his sharp hips. His lean waist and the faintly worrying curve of his ribs. Cloud lets him continue his mostly aimless exploration. Watching him quietly, absently tugging at his erection. He doesn’t seem focused on it though. Attention turned instead to listening as Andrea talks. Andrea reaches a hand to toy and tug at the longer spikes hanging by his face.</p><p>“Your pretty golden hair. Your infinitely kissable lips.” His hand drops to trace a thumb beneath one of Cloud’s eyes. Stroking the delicate skin that’s still marred by sleepless bruises. “These eyes of yours that I would happily drown in.”</p><p>Those lovely eyes roll and Andrea chuckles. But then something in him softens, a quiet trembling in his heart. Can’t help the faint quiver of his hand as he drops it over the scar on Cloud’s chest. Feels the strong, steady heartbeat.</p><p>“But it’s so much more than that. Especially now.” Andrea murmurs, taking a breath and meeting Cloud gaze again. “<em> You </em> are so much more than that, Cloud.”</p><p>He hears Cloud catch his breath, a faint noise in his throat. Almost a question. Sees his eyes widen. Andrea takes a breath, pressing his palm to the scar over Cloud’s heart a little more firmly and keeps going.</p><p>“It’s your kindness. Your bravery. The way you’re always paying attention, even when you're hurt, or stressed. Your loyalty and the way you take care of others.” Andrea huffs, something incredulous in his voice as he takes a breath. “God, it would take me hours- <em> days </em>- to list every little thing about you that fascinates me. Every piece of you that I adore. Because I adore every piece of you, Cloud.”</p><p>The expression on Cloud’s face makes Andrea’s heart hurt. Confused, silent wonder. Toeing the line of too much. Something almost frightened like Cloud wants to run. To run from this moment, from his feelings.</p><p>But he doesn’t.</p><p>He doesn’t because Cloud is the single bravest soul Andrea’s ever had the pride and privilege of knowing. So much braver than he thinks. It’s all Andrea can do to try and match it. To keep up. To try and help Cloud see that he is worth so much more than he believes. That he means so much more than he lets himself think. Andrea catches Cloud’s free hand and pulls it to rest over Andrea’s own heart, where it beats too strong and a touch too quick. Laces his fingers through Cloud’s slimmer ones and holds him close.</p><p>“...You have my heart, Cloud. And I need you to know that, even if you don’t understand it yet.”</p><p>“Shut up, you sap...” Cloud says, voice rough and wavering. The faintest tremble running through him. “And kiss me already.”</p><p>Andrea props himself up as Cloud leans down, their mouths colliding in a messy, heated smear of breath and tongues and need. There’s a feeling in Andrea’s chest, weight and weightlessness. Too much and all at once not enough. Overwhelming, especially as Cloud presses closer. Kisses him harder. Deeper. A quiet, desperate sound in the back of his throat. Cloud’s hand twitches on his chest, pulling away and Andrea lets him to. Groaning as Cloud’s hand slides up to curl around the back of Andrea’s neck to hold him close. Andrea sinks his into wild blond hair.</p><p>“I mean it.” Andrea says, as they part with a gasp. Lung aching, heart trembling and beating so hard he can hear it pounding in his head.</p><p>“...I know.” Cloud says quietly. Andrea knows from his tone that Cloud still doesn’t ‘get it’. That doesn’t surprise him of course. But that doesn’t change the fact that Cloud<em> listened </em>. That he let Andrea say it. “Now shut up.”</p><p>“But I thought you wanted me to talk?” Andrea teases, but the amusement cuts out in a groan as Cloud bites at his lower lip. Hums and parts his lips to let Cloud’s tongue tentatively press in. Cautious exploration that Andrea happily encourages with a pleased noise.</p><p>With a shiver Cloud pulls back a touch. Still hovering close enough Andrea can feel, <em> taste </em> the heat of his breath. Still almost see his reflection in those beautiful eyes. Revels in the way they’ve started to glow.</p><p>Cloud’s breath hitches, picks up a touch. Over the rush of his heart in his ears, Andrea catches a faint, rhythmic noise as Cloud finally starts to work himself over. Smiles, heated as the fire in his blood.</p><p>“Yes...” Andrea murmurs, shifts his hands down to cradle Cloud’s jaw. Tender and firm. “That’s it, sweetheart. Go on, I want to see you.”</p><p>Cloud groans, a shudder running through him as his eyes flutter. He shifts back and Andrea lets him go, sinking back onto the bed. Cloud braces his hand on Andrea’s shoulder. Biting at his lower lip, a faint furrow to his brow. Andrea can feel Cloud shifting, hips rolling into his own hand as he strokes himself. Palming the head and squeezing it tight.</p><p>“God, you’re perfect. Look at you- " Andrea groans, dragging his eyes up Cloud’s body. Marvelling at the rippling muscles of his stomach and abdomen. At the beautiful arch of his spine as his head falls back for a moment. "A fucking <em> vision </em> that’s what you are.”</p><p>There’s a high, quiet noise that slips into the air. Intoxicating and beautiful, it has Andrea releasing a shaking, heated breath. The nerves Cloud showed before have faded. Simmering down into a quiet, building need. One that’s so evident when he drops his head and Andrea can see his face.</p><p>“What do you think about? When you do this for yourself, I mean.”</p><p>“You.” Cloud gasps. The instant response and quiet desperation of Cloud's voice hit Andrea low in the gut, dragging an answering groan from his lips. The flames inside him sparking, rising as Cloud forces himself to meet Andrea’s eyes for a moment. “You, I- <em> ahhh </em>. Th-think about you.”</p><p>“Is that right?” Andrea growls, low and dark as he reaches, sliding his hands up from Cloud’s knees. “Mmm...you have no idea how happy that makes me. Because you’re all I <em> can </em> think about, Cloud. When you're gone. Or when I dream.” Cloud shudders under his hands as Andrea glides them up and over Cloud’s hips. His waist. Reaching to cup Cloud’s ass. “But nothing’s better than when you’re here. When I can see you, hear you, <em> touch </em> you.”</p><p>“Andrea-” There’s a question, a plea in Cloud's voice as he cants his hips back into Andrea’s hands and the dancer groans. Fuck, he hopes Cloud means what he thinks he does.</p><p>“Can I get my fingers in you, darling?”</p><p>“<em> Hnn </em>...y-yeah. Yeah. Please-”</p><p>“Here, lean forward a little.” Andrea hums quietly, tugging at Cloud till he’s shifted up on his knees, bracing himself with a hand on Andrea’s chest. Andrea smiles and glides his hands further down Cloud’s ass, kneading at the firm muscle. “That’s it. Perfect.”</p><p>“Hurry up.” Cloud says, a groan underscoring his voice as his grip on his cock shifts. Jerking himself off with tighter, slower pulls. Andrea couldn’t possibly deny him. Not in this. He lets Cloud go, chuckling to himself when the other casts him an annoyed glower. Andrea ignores him, scooping up the nearby bottle and coating his fingers. Cloud watches him do it, eyes flaring bright. But it’s nothing compared to the way his breath hitches, a quiet noise in the back of Cloud’s throat as Andrea brushes the fingers against his entrance.</p><p><em> Fuck </em>. The way Cloud presses back into the touch, absent yet wanting makes Andrea burn. God, knowing Cloud wants it so much just makes Andrea want to give it to him more. Makes him want to give Cloud anything he wants. Just to see the quiet, needy rapture on that beautiful face.</p><p>Andrea takes a moment, just stroking the tight furl of muscle, coating it in lube. Pressure without pressing in and Cloud’s getting impatient with him. Can see it from the twist in his expression and the glint in his glowing eyes.</p><p>“Andrea...” There’s that dark, warning note in Cloud’s voice again. Undercut slightly by the delicious need. Doesn’t stop Andrea from shuddering under him or the way that voice drips down to make his own cock jerk.</p><p>Still, he’s not out to tease or torment Cloud. Not now. God no, he wants more. Wants to see Cloud fall apart under his own hand as well as Andrea’s. So he finally presses in, sinking one finger into the tight heat. Cloud lets out a breath, eyes flashing.</p><p>“Shit...<em> haa </em>-”</p><p>“Alright?” Andrea asks as he sees Cloud’s hand still on his length. But the blond nods quickly and Andrea can feel him pressing his hips back into Andrea’s touch. Andrea grins and indulges them both, circling his finger and pressing it deeper. A faint, frustrated noise escapes Cloud’s lips.</p><p>“C’mon.” Andrea blinks, tipping his head as he hums in askance. Cloud rolls his eyes and takes a breath. Biting at his lower lip before he meets Andrea’s eyes with a stubborn furrow on his brow. “Gimme another one.”</p><p>Something flutters in Andrea’ chest. “But you’re still-”</p><p>“Andrea.” Another flicker of heat in Andrea’s veins at Cloud’s low voice. The way the other stares at him. “’s fine. Want it.”</p><p>Oh. Oh that’s right, isn’t it? Cloud’s always had the touch of masochism in him when it came to this, hasn’t he. Andrea has a near flashback to their first night. Fuck. Alright. If Cloud wants it, Andrea can’t do anything but listen. He removes the first finger and before Cloud can do anything more than grumble at him, shifts to sink two of them into him at once. Cloud’s jaw drops, brow pinching as he shudders. Andrea’s heart hammers in his chest. God, Cloud’s still tight enough that it has to sting as Andrea slowly works his fingers deeper. But if anything, that just seems to push Cloud higher. He starts tugging at his cock again, working himself up and up with a faster rhythm. Andrea’s entranced. Watching the sweet, painful bliss starting to curl itself over Cloud’s face. Watching his eyes start to glow, brighter and brighter.</p><p>“Breathe...” Andrea murmurs, heated and low as he stares. Everything in him shuddering and aching as Cloud listens. Managing a deep breath, holding it before letting it out in a faint shudder. Cloud takes another breath and Andrea can feel him consciously relaxing around his fingers. Making it so that Andrea can move easier. “Good...very good. Fuck, you’re amazing.”</p><p>Cloud whines and curls over him a little further. Pressing harder back into Andrea’s fingers and Andrea can see the way he’s starting to work his hand along his cock even faster. Andrea can feel Cloud’s leaking precum against his stomach and the dancer sighs.</p><p>“Do you ever do this to yourself?” Andrea asks, starting to plunge his fingers in a little faster. A little deeper.</p><p>“N-no. Not –<em> ahhh </em> – not really.”</p><p>“No? Such a shame. Though I’ll admit...” Andrea finally curls his fingers into the bump of Cloud’s prostate, a firm pressure as he rolls his fingers in slow, deep circles. Cloud’s mouth drops, glowing eyes fluttering as he moans. The sound makes Andrea bite at the edge of his lips a moment. “I rather like the fact the fact I’m the one who gets to see you like this.”</p><p>Cloud shudders above him, nails biting bluntly into Andrea’s chest. “Fuck-”</p><p>“Good?”</p><p>“Y-yeah. <em> Hnn- </em> More.” Cloud gasps, sound cracking into a near cry. “Andrea, <em> please </em>-”</p><p>“Do you want a third, lovely?”</p><p>Cloud nods, the motion faintly frantic. Brow furrowed in that distant concentration as he rocks between Andrea’s fingers and his own hand. Again Andrea can’t do anything but obey, silent though this request is. He spreads his fingers out, groaning as Cloud takes the third near easy as breathing.</p><p>“Fuck. Fuck look at you, gorgeous boy.” Andrea moans, barely able to breath around the swell of wonder and desire curling through his chest. He wants more. Wants to see more. More and more until Cloud falls to all his beautiful pieces before him. Andrea presses deep into that hot, slick heat and curls the tips of all three fingers against Cloud’s prostate. Pressing hard and stroking it in a tight, beckoning motion even as he pumps his fingers in and out.</p><p>“Ohh shit. Andrea- <em> haaah! </em>” Cloud gasps, sitting back slightly. Making Andrea’s fingers press deeper inside him as he rolls his hips in tight, needy circles. The way his inner walls ripple and clench around Andrea’s fingers is absolutely delicious.</p><p>“Yes, go on. Take what you need, sweetheart. That’s it...”Andrea can feel his own erection starting to leak in the confines of his pants. He doesn’t care. The ache is nothing compared to watching Cloud lose himself to pleasure. “That’s a good boy.”</p><p>Cloud keens, shuddering. A lovely flush painted across his cheeks, but Andrea only has a moment to admire it before Cloud drops his head. He reaches up his free hand, catching Cloud’s chin.</p><p>“Let me see you, beautiful.” Andrea whispers, groaning when those eyes flutter to his. Wide and so, <em> so </em>bright. Cloud stares at him, with so much need and heat burning in his eyes, twisting his expression. Andrea can’t resist anymore. He sits up, the motion sending Cloud slipping back into his lap. They both gasp, Andrea from the sudden weight and friction against his groin. Cloud from the way Andrea’s fingers press deeper. Harder. Cloud’s voice rolls into a cry that Andrea catches with his lips.</p><p>Cloud’s free arm locks around Andrea’s neck. Tight and Andrea groans at the bite of nails into the skin of his shoulder.</p><p>“Shit...” Cloud gasps, face flushed as he works himself back on Andrea’s fingers. “Shit, I’m gonna-”</p><p>“Yes.” Andrea groans, curling his free arm around Cloud’s back and clutching him close, groaning when he feels Cloud frantically jerking himself off between them. “Let go, my darling. Let go, I’ll catch you.”</p><p>“<em> Fuck </em> ...” Cloud moans, voice cracking. Andrea’s mind can only echo the sentiment when he realizes that Cloud’s fighting with himself to keep eye contact. Straining, panting and shaking as they push him over the edge. “Andrea... <em> Andrea </em>-!”</p><p>Cloud seizes against him. Andrea can feel his release as it bleeds from between his fingers. And fuck, his eyes flare with that impossibly vibrant glow. Locked onto Andrea’s with desperation. A flicker of that strange too green. Two rapid heartbeats where there’s something cat-like about his pupils.</p><p>But Andrea doesn’t have even a moment to consider it as Cloud’s lips sink into his. A breathless, trembling noise high in his chest. Andrea pulls him closer, kissing him back before Cloud slumps, head falling to rest on his shoulder.</p><p>Andrea gently slides his fingers out, smiling a little as the other twitches with a faint noise, muscles tightening reflexively against him. Andrea hushes him gently, absently wiping his fingers off on the rumpled blanket, before running both his hands up and down Cloud’s back. Slow and soothing as the other catches his breath.</p><p>“Your turn.” Cloud rumbles after a moment, shifting from his place. Glancing up to meet the dancer’s eyes. A serious light in them. Andrea smiles and strokes his cheek.</p><p>“You don’t need to-”</p><p>“Want to.” Cloud cuts him off, sitting back and peering down at him. “What’d you want?”</p><p>Andrea can tell from the stubborn tilt of Cloud’s expression and the determination in his low voice that he’s not going to let Andrea wiggle out of this one. Not that Andrea <em> wants </em> to- but still. Andrea chews it over for a moment, running his hands along Cloud’s sides. Then he flickers his attention back up to Cloud’s eyes.</p><p>“May I have your mouth again, precious?”</p><p>“Mm.” Cloud nods immediately, sitting back. Cloud eyes him for a moment, then the bed and the room. Something quietly calculating in his gaze. He seems to reach some decision as he looks back at Andrea and lifts off him, shuffling back along the bed. He catches one of Andrea’s arms and pulls the other along. Curious, Andrea follows. Sliding along the rumpled covers until Cloud hits the edge. But instead of standing as Andrea expected the other lets himself slip down after a moment of hesitation. Moving in his unfairly graceful way to settle on his knees on the floor. Andrea’s mouth goes dry, a momentary haze of static buzzing around his thoughts as he takes in the sight.</p><p>“This okay?” Cloud asks, voice light, quiet- almost cautious. That touch of uncertainty to his face. Andrea can’t help the low, almost pained groan that trips out of him.</p><p><em> Fuck. </em> Andrea thinks, fiery arousal tripping through his veins, plunging into his gut. <em> He’s trying to kill me. And he doesn’t even realize it. </em></p><p>“I- of course it is.” Andrea says, reaching out to stroke the side of Cloud’s face. Something a little cautious in his voice as he asks, “You’re sure you-”</p><p>“Yeah.” The uncertainty he saw in Cloud fades, now he has Andrea’s approval. Replaced instead by that single minded focus that Andrea so adores. Even if at the moment it’s doing truly awful things to his composure. Especially as Cloud reaches forward and starts to tug at Andrea’s clothes. “C’mon.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, heat and amusement in the sound as he gets up enough that they can work his pants and underwear off. Smiling as Cloud tosses them aside to join his own. Andrea perches on the edge of the mattress, spreading his legs so Cloud has room to settle between them.</p><p>There’s still that slightest touch of hesitation in him as Cloud rests his hands on Andrea’s knees and slides them up. Andrea hums. God he loves the feeling of Cloud’s hands on him. Skin to skin especially. Can’t help the way his hips twitch up into Cloud touch as the other runs a finger lightly against his erection.</p><p>“You gonna fuck my mouth again?” Cloud asks, peeking up at him. The faintly casual tone of his voice sends a fresh wave of sparks skittering through Andrea’s system.</p><p>“Do you want me to?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Cloud says, like it should be obvious. Andrea chuckles slightly.</p><p>“Then it’d be my pleasure. But I need you to-<em> hngh </em>!” Andrea’s words are cut off as Cloud leans in, pressing a tongue to the underside of Andrea’s cock and dragging it up to catch the trail of precum dripping down. Andrea sinks a hand into Cloud’s hair, gripping and tugging it. Sharp enough to pull Cloud’s head back. Cloud grunts, those bright eyes blinking up at him. “Cloud, this is important.”</p><p>“What?” Cloud asks, looking more annoyed than anything at having been stopped.</p><p>“If you can’t talk and need me to slow down, you tap my leg once. If you want me to stop- for <em> any </em> reason- do it twice. Understand?”</p><p>“Okay.” Cloud says, the look on his face practically screaming that he thinks Andrea’s being ridiculous. “But you gotta <em> start </em> first.”</p><p>Andrea arches a brow. Well, well. That’s new. “Hmm. That’s quite a mouth on you, beautiful.”</p><p>“You don’t like it?” Cloud says, staring at him, something challenging in those impossibly gorgeous eyes. “Then shut me up.”</p><p><em> ...Fuck. </em> Andrea thinks, a fresh wave of supernova heat flaring bright through him. <em> I take it back. He’s ‘actually’ trying to kill me. </em></p><p>“Oh I like it plenty.” Andrea says, unable to help the way his voice drops into a heated rumble. He shifts a hand, curling it against Cloud’s chin, pressing his thumb between Cloud’s lips, gently tugging. “But I think for now, I’ll like it better wrapped around my cock.”</p><p>God, he can see the <em> want </em> in those bright, still glowing eyes. And he has Cloud’s word he’ll tell him to stop if needs be. So it’s the last ‘warning’ he gives, before Andrea gets to his feet. Carefully, but firmly pushing at Cloud to get him to shuffle back. Cloud wavers before him, catching himself by gripping Andrea’ thighs. Eyes flashing as he looks up at the dancer. Andrea smirks, grips Cloud tightly and pulls him close. Presses the head of his aching length to those lovely lips and slides in. Slow. Certain. A shudder rippling down his spine at the way Cloud immediately opens for him. At the low, pleased moan he can feel rumble around him in that glorious wet heat.</p><p>Cloud gags as Andrea gets over half his cock in him. The dancer slows as he feels Cloud’s hands tighten against his thighs. But no touch comes outside the increased pressure so he continues until Cloud makes another quiet, helpless noise. Eyes starting to water. God if the sight doesn’t do terrible things to Andrea’s insides. Especially paired with the determined fire flickering deep in their depths.</p><p>“Relax.” Andrea murmurs, shifting his hips to draw back out. Groaning at the sight. The feeling. At the way Cloud whines under his breath and pulls at him. Andrea tuts at him, tugging his hair again. “So impatient.”</p><p>“Then quit holding back.” Cloud grumbles as Andrea pulls out, “I can take it.”</p><p>“I know you can. But I’m not rushing this. Besides, aren’t you curious?” Cloud blinks and hums at him, something confused flickering across his brow. Andrea returns the look with a slow, wicked smile. “About how much you can take, I mean. You did so well last time after all.”</p><p>He catches the faintly surprised breath Cloud takes. Catches that intrigued glow flash through his eyes. Andrea grins.</p><p>“I thought so. So just relax for me. Can you do that, sweetheart?”</p><p>Something flickers through Cloud’s wet, bright eyes. In the next moment his grip on Andrea’s legs softens. A ripple passing down through his spine. He settles before Andrea, beautiful and pliant beneath his hands. Andrea releases a breath that shakes, gentling his hands in Cloud’s hair, combing through it slowly.</p><p>“That’s it...” Andrea murmurs, heated as he slides back in and rocks a little deeper. Humming low in chest as Cloud lets him with the faintest noise. “Good boy.”</p><p>Cloud shudders, eyes fluttering. A quiet, trembling cry muffled against Andrea’s length. Fuck, Andrea’s never going to be over how he reacts to that. To such simple things. It’s another of those things about Cloud that churns the fire in his blood, but also makes him ache. Still, he smiles down at Cloud, keeping the touch of his hands gentle. He repeats the pattern. Pulling out and pressing back in. Each time a little deeper. Each time a little faster, or harder. As he works up a rhythm, Cloud keeps making tiny, almost helpless sounds. Eyes watering reflexively when Andrea presses just a hair too deep or too fast. Leaking down the sides of Cloud's face when he blinks.</p><p>“God, you’re doing so well, lovely. Look at you.” Andrea groans, fingers clenching in Cloud’s hair again. Cloud looks up at him, fire beneath that lovely, wet gaze. Andrea grins at him, heated, trailing his other hand lightly along the underside of Cloud’s chin. “Suck it beautiful.”</p><p>Andrea doesn’t even have to coax Cloud any further than that. The next time he goes to slide out, he feels Cloud shift. Sees his cheek faintly hollow as Andrea pulls away again.</p><p>“<em> Fuck </em>.” Andrea gasps, hips twitching into the sensation. “My god, Cloud. How are you so perfect?”</p><p>Cloud whines through his nose. The sound breathy and needy and it lights Andrea up even more. But even as his eyes flutter, Andrea sees Cloud glance away. Sees that faint glimmer of uncertainty that lingers deep inside them. That’s not going to fly. Not today.</p><p>“Ah, ah. Don’t think I don’t know what’s going through that pretty head of yours, lovely.”</p><p>Andrea pulls at Cloud’s hair a little, smiling when the other shivers and grunts. Andrea sinks into Cloud’s mouth as deep as he dares and sits there. Smiling a wicked, sharp curve of a thing when Cloud blinks up at him.</p><p>“You <em> are </em> perfect- especially for me.” The muffled noise Cloud makes at that has Andrea leaking against his tongue. The shudder in his spine rippling into goosebumps as Cloud groans and starts to lick and suck at his cock. Bobbing his head as much as Andrea’s grip will allow. “Fuck, the way you want this. The way you enjoy it. God, you have no idea what you do to me, Cloud. What you make me want to do.”</p><p>Andrea pulls out, letting Cloud gasp for breath, for a moment before he catches Cloud’s head between both his hands. Fingers tight through blond, silky strands. Cloud shudders and stares up at him, eyes wide and glowing like stars. Andrea drags his tongue along his lower lip, slowly.</p><p>“Like right now, I really,<em> really </em>want to fuck this lovely mouth of yours.”</p><p>“Do it.” Cloud says. His voice already has that impossibly delicious roughness to it. Andrea has to take a moment to calm himself, rubbing absently at Cloud’s scalp.</p><p>“Remember the sign?”</p><p>“One slow, two stop.”</p><p>“Perfection, my clever boy.” Andrea murmurs, cock twitching as Cloud shivers before him. “Deep breath.”</p><p>Cloud takes it. Holds it. Lets it out. The fire in Andrea’s gut roaring as Cloud stares up at him and opens his mouth. Keeping him close and still, Andrea sinks back in. Both of them moaning, Cloud eyes rolling as he shudders. Andrea takes a breath, bites his lower lip and starts to thrust into Cloud’s mouth.</p><p>“Fuck...” Andrea grunts as he sinks into a hard rhythm quickly. Gasping himself as he catches the way Cloud gags and gasps around him. But there’s no touch to his leg save brief spasms of pressure when Andrea pushes perhaps a touch too deep or too fast. “God, Cloud. You’re so incredible.” Those eyes are going to be the end of him. Andrea knows it. He just knows it, can feel his own release crawling, dark and hot and fucking<em> fast </em> through his veins. “Look how well you can take it. <em> Fuck! </em>You’re so good.”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes roll, a whine cracking high and desperate in his chest, leaking out around Andrea’s length as the other pushes on. On and on. There’s a plea in Cloud’s eyes when he finally manages to look up at Andrea again.</p><p>“Want me to cum in your mouth, beautiful?” Cloud makes a muffled, gorgeous sound, hands suddenly sliding up to grasp Andrea’s hips. Holding on- holding him in place. Andrea grins, licking his lips. Can’t help the faint burst of awe in his voice, “I’ll take that as a yes then, shall I?”</p><p>Cloud’s nails bite into his skin in retaliation, partner to the brief, annoyed flash that passes through those two toned eyes. Andrea laughs, breathless and low. But it’s soon lost beneath a wave of moans as need drives him to thrust faster into Cloud’s mouth. Cloud’s stopped trying to keep up with him now. Still and willing to let Andrea just take what he wants from him.</p><p>“Fuck...<em> fuck </em>. Cloud I-”</p><p>It’s a combination of things that pushes him head first over the edge. Andrea reflexively grasping the back of Cloud’s head for a better hold. Pulling as Cloud shifts himself forward. Cloud’s nose brushes the wiry thatch of dark hair against his abdomen. Andrea gasps, eyes wide as he feels himself slip into Cloud’s throat. There’s nothing in the world that could’ve stopped him from cumming, then and there. At the sensation. At the realization. At the desperate, helpless noise Cloud makes even as the blond clutches him tighter, presses closer.</p><p>The moment he manages to drag some semblance of sense back into his head, Andrea shifts away, easing Cloud’s head back too as he does. Andrea’s knees waver. Giving to send him falling back to the edge of the bed behind them. Cloud gasps for breath as soon as he’s able, sputtering and coughing even as he pants. Catching himself with a hand on Andrea’s knee, the other pressed to his throat. Andrea’s heart twists in his chest, reaching out.</p><p>“Fuck- I’m sorry, Cloud. I didn’t mean to push you that far.”</p><p>But Cloud just shakes his head. Hand still tight against Andrea’s knee. Andrea’s heart pounds, both from orgasm and the flickering worry buzzing through his chest. Running his hands along Cloud’s face and through his hair. Mindless and soothing as the other catches his breath.</p><p>“ ‘s fine.” Cloud finally manages, grip on Andrea loosening and hand falling from his neck. And oh <em> god </em> he sounds positively <em> wrecked </em>. Voice coarse in his throat from the rough treatment. The sound of it threatens to have Andrea shiver. Especially as Cloud meets his gaze again. Some flicker of a smirk edges itself onto Cloud’s mouth. “Told ya I could do it.”</p><p>Andrea pulls Cloud from the floor, ignoring the half-hearted protests as he settles the blond in his lap again and clutches him close. Arms tight around that lean, lovely waist. Silently amazed when he feels the press of Cloud’s cock against his stomach. Fuck, he’s nearly hard again. All just from <em> that</em> - Andrea knows he didn't touch himself either. Had Cloud's hands on him the entire time. Andrea can’t help the shiver that ripples down his spine. Electricity spiking through his weary nerves.</p><p>God, this boy’s going to be the death of him.</p><p>“I never doubted that for a moment.” Andrea says, rubbing slow circles against the small of Cloud’s back. Despite the evidence to the contrary, Cloud relaxed in his hold. “I didn’t hurt you...?”</p><p>“Stop fussing.” Cloud mutters, arms coming up to curl around Andrea's neck. Bending to rest his head on the dancer’s. Andrea smiles, feeling the way Cloud’s subtly nuzzling at his hair line. Knows Cloud would deny it. Too ‘sappy’ after all. “I’m fine.”</p><p>“You’re amazing, is what you are.”</p><p>“And you’re a sap.” Cloud says, adorably petulant grumble to his still rough voice. “Actually I think cumming makes you more of one.”</p><p>Andrea giggles, planting a wet, noisy kiss against Cloud’s sternum. “Mmm. Mayhap you’re right. What would you say to a shower, my darling?”</p><p>“Mm. Sounds good.”</p><p>Unfortunately, Cloud doesn’t let Andrea carry him to the bathroom. Bristling like an ornery cat when Andrea offers and pushing himself up off Andrea’s lap. Andrea takes it in stride, chuckling and getting to his feet. Taking Cloud’s hand, which he does allow, Andrea drags him into the bathroom and then the shower with him once he’s got the water at the right temperature.</p><p>Andrea pulls Cloud into the stream of water, hands on his trim hips as he catches those lovely lips. Cloud indulges him for a time, but not for long before his usual utilitarian self kicks in and he pulls back. Turns away.</p><p>As he does, Andrea realizes something that catches the breath in his chest. Painfully.</p><p>Cloud was shot in the back.</p><p>It’s a bone chilling realization. Something that drags Andrea’s mind from the warm, content muddle he’s been drifting in straight into icy waters. A horrible contrast to steam warmed air of the shower.</p><p>Andrea can’t stop himself from reaching out. From resting his hand over the scar that sits on Cloud’s back. Cleaner than the rough, starburst exit wound created on his chest. Cloud’s muscles jump beneath his touch, a bright blue eye peeking back over his shoulder.</p><p>“Hmm?” Cloud hums, question obvious in the sound. Andrea meets his curious stare, sees the moment Cloud realizes what he's doing. What he’s seen. Sees the faint flicker in his eyes. But of course he doesn’t say anything. Andrea’s actually glad for it this time. He doesn’t want to break the quiet peace between them. Doesn’t want Cloud dwelling on the darkness he’s been throwing himself back into again and again. He just wants Cloud here, with him in this moment.</p><p>So Andrea trails his hand down Cloud’s back, drifting away from the scar. Stepping forward to wrap his arms around Cloud’s waist. Fitting into the lean curves of his back. Smiling into the back of Cloud’s neck when he feels the other reach, hands brushing against Andrea’s arms for a moment.</p><p>Cloud reaches for the bottle of shampoo in the rack, but Andrea catches his hand and pulls it away. Grip light, but firm.</p><p>“Mm mm.” He hums, bending Cloud’s hand so he can feather his lips along the damp, smooth skin. “I want to pamper you, my darling.”</p><p>“It’s a waste-”</p><p>“Time spent on you is never a waste.” Andrea says, casually firm as he meets Cloud’s surprised gaze. The other glances away, but Andrea sees that twist of confusion on his brow. And the faint touch of color in his cheeks. “Please?”</p><p>“...Told ya it makes you extra sappy.” Cloud mutters, but nods. Shifting to stand lax before Andrea. Willing to let him do as he likes. Andrea's heart swells at the gesture and he tugs at Cloud. Carefully shifting them around and easing the other back into the stream of water. Running his hands through that beautiful golden hair, watching in quiet wonder as it darkens. Lets Cloud finish soaking it through as Andrea pours himself a generous amount of shampoo. He has Cloud turn his back to him again before he settles his hands on Cloud’s head. It’s kind of fun working it through Cloud’s thick locks. Andrea’s so used to taking care of his own and he’s always had a preference for keeping it short.</p><p>Despite all his grumbling, Andrea can feel the way Cloud shifts into his touch. The way some of the lingering tension drains away as Andrea massages his scalp. Andrea finds himself smiling. Soft and warm and every inch the sap that Cloud’s been accusing him of being.</p><p>It’s another adventure to rinse it all away, but there’s something wholly soothing about it. About having Cloud here with him. Still grumbling faintly, but largely relaxed under his hands as Andrea moves on to conditioner and finally to his body wash.</p><p>The fact there’s a faint glitter this particular bottle is something he doesn’t feel inclined to warn Cloud about at present. He’ll just claim a lapse of memory. Andrea chuckles to himself, waving away Cloud’s confused little noise as he starts to scrub at Cloud’s skin gently with the loofah. Up his long, toned arms, across his shoulders. Down his chest, stomach and sides. Cloud shifts a little before him, but turns his body and lifts his limbs and as Andrea coaxes him with quiet words and gentle touches.</p><p>As Andrea gets back to his feet from where he’d crouched to scrub at Cloud’s legs, he pauses. Struck mute once again as he looks at Cloud. His wet hair draping around his head. The faint glimmer of color against his skin, like tiny distant constellations. Shifting and changing as Andrea stands back up, dragging his eyes along Cloud’s body. Fuck, he can’t stay away. Arms falling around Cloud’s waist as he drops the loofah to the shower floor. Tugging Cloud snugly back against him. As he tucks his chin over Cloud’s shoulder, Andrea’s gaze drifts down and he blinks.</p><p>“Oh sweetheart. Somebody’s awfully pent up, hmm?” He hums, eyeing the way Cloud erection's still stiff between his thighs. Andrea reaches, toying with the damp nest of curls around it. “May I...?”</p><p>“Don’t have to.” Cloud murmurs, a touch of his usual gruff nature in it. Andrea knows better than to buy it, especially as Cloud shrugs. Just a faint little jerk of his shoulders. “...But if you want.”</p><p>“I do.” Andrea murmurs, bending his head to sink his lips into the warm, damp skin of Cloud’s neck. Nipping delicately as he works his way down towards Cloud’s shoulder. Brushing the tips of his fingers against the rising blood-heat of Cloud’s cock. Smiling into his skin as the other’s hips shift to press into the touch, sighing,</p><p>“If you’re gonna-”</p><p>“Do it properly?” Andrea finishes for him, grinning as he curls his fist against Cloud’s erection firmly even as he speaks. Humming pleased in his chest when the other gasps and nods. “I’ve got you sweetheart. Just relax.”</p><p>Cloud groans, but Andrea feels him taking slow, careful breaths. Feels him shift and sink his weight a little further back into the dancer. Andrea tightens his arm around Cloud’s waist holding him securely as he starts to stroke him. Keeping his grip firm and tight. Mimicking the tight, twisting motions he’d seen Cloud use on himself earlier. Shifting his touch and weight with Cloud as the other starts to press into and curl away from his touch. As the sensations spike and flow like the water against them.</p><p>“Look at you...” Andrea breathes, entranced as Cloud sighs, head rolling back against Andrea’s shoulder. Eyes glowing and half lidded. Biting at his lower lip as he rocks into Andrea’s hand. A near constant, pleasing stream of little noises and gasps stifled in the back of his throat. “Fuck, you’re so beautiful. Keep this up and I’m liable to get my second wind, too.” Cloud makes a gorgeous, wet noise before him. Trembling for a moment as he grinds back into Andrea. Andrea groans as he watches him, wetting his lower lip. “Ohhh...? Would you like that? Hmm lovely?”</p><p>Cloud’s lips part with a tremble, an almost pained whine echoing through the air. “A-Andrea...I-”</p><p>Andrea leans up and bites at the end of Cloud ear. “Want my fingers back in you?”</p><p>“Yes...” Cloud breathes, his voice pitching high with desperation. “God, please-”</p><p>“Easy, darling. Deep breath.” As Cloud forces himself to breath Andrea gently shifts him forward. Getting Cloud to brace his hands on the shower wall, Andrea drags his hand back down to Cloud’s ass. “There’s a good boy.”</p><p>The blond arches, moaning and shuddering. Forehead falling to press against the wall too. Cloud’s cock pulses in Andrea’s grip as the dancer presses the tips of two fingers up and in. Groaning at the way Cloud presses back into the stretch. At the way Cloud trembles against him. Tell-tale and needy.</p><p>God, he’s beautiful. So impossibly beautiful.</p><p>“<em> Fuck </em>-!” Cloud’s voice cracks, something wet and desperate. “I’m not- I-I can’t-”</p><p>“You don’t need to. Let go.” Andrea can’t keep the growl out of his voice as he finds Cloud’s prostate and immediately focuses on it. Cloud jerks like he’s been shocked. Low moan rolling up into a cry. “That’s it sweetheart. Cum for me again- come on.”</p><p>Andrea knew Cloud wasn’t going to last. But the way he jerks, shouts and cums near instantly, like he’d just been waiting for Andrea’s word is a high that makes Andrea dizzy. He curls his arm around Cloud’s waist tightly as the other’s knees shake, threatening to give.</p><p>“<em> Haah </em> ... <em> haaah </em>...shit-” Cloud sounds breathless, voice twisting back to that slightly rough note.</p><p>“Tired?” Andrea murmurs, leaning to rest his head between Cloud’s shoulder blades, absently kissing the knobs of his spine.</p><p>“Mm...”</p><p>It’s no surprise of course. Cloud’s still recovering from what was likely days of lost sleep. And now Andrea’s gone and worn away any energy he may have gained back. He’d feel a little guiltier about it, if it hadn’t been so clear Cloud wanted it. As it were, Andrea smiles against Cloud’s skin, nodding.</p><p>“Let’s get you cleaned up and tucked in again then, my darling.”</p><p>It’s relatively quick work to get them both out of the shower, dried off and wrapped up in comfortable clothes again. Cloud’s so drained he doesn’t even kick up a snit as Andrea takes it on himself to dress him and snuggle him back down into a fresh blanket on the bed.</p><p>Andrea perches beside him, gently stroking his fingers through Cloud’s still damp, wild hair. Smiling to himself as it slowly dries into all its odd little angles. Still as the quiet settles over them, Andrea can feel his own stomach start to rumble. If he’s hungry he can’t imagine Cloud’s in a much better state. Thank god he’s got the leftovers he can get ready.</p><p>Andrea goes to stand, but Cloud stops him with a wordless noise, catching and tugging at the hem of his shirt. Andrea turns back and meets those sweet, sleepy eyes with a smile.</p><p>“Rest, lovely.” Andrea murmurs, strokes the side of his face, brushing at his hair. “I’m just going to go reheat some food and then I’ll come get you. Alright?”</p><p>Cloud blinks up at him, sleepy and silly as he frowns a little. Then he finally seems to settle again, letting Andrea go and nodding absently as his eyes flutter closed. Andrea can’t help bending down to kiss his cheek, then his temple before slipping out of the room.</p><p>Andrea turns on some quiet music to keep himself company as he putters about the kitchen. The smells that start to waft from the delicious chicken sauce and long grained rice and vegetable medley makes Andrea’s stomach gurgle embarrassingly loud. Andrea chuckles at himself.</p><p>“You’re a mess Andi.” He mutters, giving everything a stir again before plating things up and setting them on the table. Once everything’s to his liking, Andrea heads back to the bedroom. It’s been about twenty minutes now and Cloud’s clearly drifted off. Andrea feels faintly horrible about waking him up. But they both need to eat. And if Cloud sleeps now there’s a good chance he’ll be up all night. And that’s not going to do anyone any good. So with a resigned sigh, Andrea goes to perch beside him again. Leaning over and stroking Cloud’s face.</p><p>“Come on sweetheart. Food’s ready and you need to eat.”</p><p>“Mm.” Cloud groans, batting absently at him as he comes to. Andrea just chuckles, catches his wrist and gently pulls Cloud up. Catching Cloud’s chin in hand, Andrea kisses him. Smiling into those pretty lips as Cloud presses into the touch as he sits up. Coaxing him with teasing, drifting glances of his lips, Andrea manages to get Cloud back on his feet. The blond sighs at him, dodging his next kiss so Andrea catches his cheek. Andrea smiles, nuzzling his warm skin.</p><p>“There we go. Come along. Before it gets cold.”</p><p>Cloud thankfully follows him without further fuss. They settle around the table and tuck in, Cloud stifling yawns behind his hand between bites. Still, Andrea notes he’s slow about it, more pushing his food absently around his plate than eating. He has a momentary hope that it’s just because he’s tired, but still. Andrea’s learned that assuming things about Cloud- especially his health- tends not to work out in his favor.</p><p>“Not to your liking?” He asks lightly. Cloud blinks and looks at him. Something surprised flickering through his expression before he shakes his head.</p><p>“’s not that. It’s good. Just...don’t really feel hungry these days.”</p><p>Something uneasy stirs in Andrea’s stomach. “...How long has this been going on?”</p><p>“Mm mm. A couple months, I guess?” Cloud says with a shrug that borders on too casual. Then he pauses, a faint, considering furrow on his brow. “Well. Maybe longer. The Geostigma screwed with my system pretty hard.”</p><p>Andrea has to bite his tongue against a rush of dawning horror. Oh god, it’s been well over nine months now since the pandemic ended. And Cloud said he had the stigma for months before that...</p><p>“You okay?” Cloud asks, that familiar concern flickering in his eyes. Andrea offers him a smile, but it’s marred by the furrow on his brow.</p><p>“Yes, but I am rather worried about you. If it’s been going on for that long, have you given any thought to seeing a doctor?”</p><p>“No.” Cloud says immediately, voice sharp as his eyes turn away. “Not a fan of hospitals or assholes in white coats. Nothing useful they could tell me anyway.”</p><p>The sharp edged unease and anger in Cloud’s voice pulls at Andrea in a way he wasn’t expecting. All too easy to call to mind their conversation this morning and the venom Cloud had spit whenever the topic of Hojo was breached, however briefly. Oh god. The implications in that- in Cloud reaction now- is nearly enough to make Andrea feel ill. He forcefully tucks it away, and nods.</p><p>“Fair enough.” He replies, reaching over to nudge Cloud’s plate a little, “Well. Then I suppose there’s only one thing to do.”</p><p>“Huh?” Cloud says, something cautious lining his face. Andrea shrugs, forcing his own expression into seriousness.</p><p>“I’m just going to have to up my ‘cooking game’. Until I can create dishes so delicious you won’t be able to turn away.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Oh it’ll be so much fun, just think of it.”</p><p>“I am.” Cloud replies with a shudder, something faintly horrified on his face. Andrea’s very quickly losing the battle with the grin that wants to crawl up his face.</p><p>“Aww come on. Really, just think. I could make us pizza-”</p><p>“Fuck no.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help it as he starts to laugh. Deep, rolling chuckles at Cloud flat, forceful tone. Cloud glowers at him, pointedly looking away as he keeps picking away at his meal. Andrea slowly calms, watching him. Something quiet and halfway content curling gently through his chest.</p><p>Things'll be okay. Cloud’s opened up and Andrea knows what he’s doing now. Keeping an eye out to make sure that he’s resting and eating properly is something Andrea will happily do. Caring for this gentle, beautiful, stubborn soul until he remembers to do it himself.</p><p>Yes. They’ll be okay.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Also we've officially crossed 100k words!! Holy-</p><p> </p><p>...Anybody surprised it was with smut? lol!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Round And Round We Go</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ffffffffff this one took ages for no apparent reason. Apparently burn out is a thing that happened ^^" Sorry my lovely readers who expect better &lt;3 I love you all.</p><p>Avasti continues to be amazing and incredibly wonderful- even putting up with my hectic ass ^^"</p><p>Also! Have a link to a playlist that the ever wonderful CervusDeer created:</p><p> https://twitter.com/Moosephu/status/1271120954392018949 <br/>OR <br/>https://open.spotify.com/playlist/68BjOzVkehkGlVTy0ygJ1X?si=di3y5IhtRRugeOlnSl0GSg</p><p>*Fair warning you may want tissues because it's determined to drown one in FEELS*</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Cloud refuses to go back to bed after they finish eating. Despite the fact that Andrea can see the way he’s fading again. Eyes growing heavy. Not drifting- thank god- but exhausted, certainly. But it’s not that Andrea can’t understand- hell, even empathize – not wanting to ‘lounge’ about in bed. They’re both far too active people to do well cooped up for long. And even resting, he can understand Cloud wanting a change of scenery.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Andrea plots a little. Digging out the folder that Cloud delivered to him last night and wandering into the living room. Cloud trails along and Andrea seats himself comfortably on one end of the couch. Teasing and coaxing Cloud to join him. Cloud sighs and grumbles. Let’s himself settle down with his head in Andrea’s lap when the dancer pulls at him. Andrea smiles to himself as he cracks open the folder and plucks out the first of many papers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>So what is all this stuff?” Cloud asks when Andrea lets him take the folder. The blond absently fusses with the edges of it. Not rooting through as he lets it rest on his stomach. “Said you were waiting for it a while, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Mmm. That’s right.” Andrea says, scanning through the scattered blocks of text on the paper he has. “It’s...reports? That’s the easiest way to explain it. I’ve been trying to track down people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Anyone in particular?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes.” Andrea says, turning the page over to another wall of scattered text. “My Bees for one. At least who’s left of them out there. I lost track of a lot of people during the chaos. And I feel I owe it to each of them. They were my family in many ways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Sorry.” There’s something in Cloud’s expression Andrea can’t quite place. But it makes his chest hurt a little and he reaches out a free hand and catches one of Cloud’s gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>C’est la vie.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Andrea replies in a murmur and a faint shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Ah, sorry. Old tongue. It means something along the lines of ‘such is life’.” Unconsciously, Andrea threads his fingers through Cloud’s, holding on perhaps a touch too tight. Too easy to remember the last time he uttered them aloud when Cloud was involved. “Old family motto as it were. And it’s true. Life happens. Things move on- we move on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud huffs a little, something like a smile curving his lips. “There ain’t no getting offa this train we on.” There’s an edge of humour in his dry delivery. An air of fond repetition to the words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Exactly.” Andrea replies with a grin, “I like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah. Got us through some crazy shit three years ago.” Cloud says with a little, weary nod. He’s quiet for a time, absently fidgeting with Andrea’s fingers in his. Andrea’s gotten through another few paragraphs before Cloud pipes up again. Quietly. “...Are they still around?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Who?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sam and Madame M.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Ah. I’m not sure.” Andrea says, not sure if he’s surprised that Cloud would bring up those two or not. More on the side of not, he thinks. After all, Cloud did have quite the ‘working’ relationship with them both by the end of it. Especially the Madame, who’d never admit it but had almost grown something of a tender spot for her champions. “I’d imagine so, somewhere out there. I’m certain I’d hear otherwise if they weren’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You’re not keeping an eye out for them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not specifically. We weren’t exactly friends, after all. More...” Andrea trails off a moment, pondering. “Acquaintances seems cold, but it’s probably the best fit. Though I’ll admit, I wouldn’t mind their help with some of my larger aspirations. I know them after all- how they operate, specifically. And they know the same about me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What’re you trying to do?” He can feel Cloud glance up at him a moment. Andrea smiles and shrugs easily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I want to rebuild.” It’s not often he speaks of his aspirations aloud. But it always gives him that quiet, rushing thrill when he does. “I miss my work. My people. Being my own boss as it were.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Huh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Something odd about that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can feel Cloud shake his head. “No. Just trying to picture it in Edge. It’d. Definitely stick out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea laughs. Glancing down at Cloud with a raised brow. “Ever think that’s rather the point?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It’s you. Mighta crossed my mind.” Cloud mumbles around a yawn, something faintly amused in his heavy eyes before they close. Andrea smiles, reaching over to gently pluck the folder from Cloud’s lap and tucking it down beside himself so he can pull out one of the thicker leaflets. He dives in, working his way slowly through the reports. An on and off rush of happiness and sadness. Anger and worry. So much change. So much loss. But still, for every name he recognizes that’s still out there, still safe and well, is relief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sun starts to go down as he reads on, casting the room into shadows. Andrea sighs, reaching up to rub at the bridge of his nose. He’s not even halfway through all this mess yet. Definitely time for a break. And the late hour reminds him that he still hasn’t reached out to Tifa yet. One of them definitely should.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea glances down, a soft, ridiculously fond smile melting over his face as he catches Cloud dozing. It’s so unfair how pretty he is. Especially when he’s truly peaceful, a painfully rare thing, Andrea’s come to realize. Unfortunately, given the ‘work’ Cloud’s set for himself, Andrea fears that such peace is only going to grow farther and farther away. He just prays Cloud’s not going to push himself to the point of collapse like he had. He doesn’t think his heart could take it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carefully shifting, Andrea reaches to flick on the nearby lamp beside him. The warm, bright rays catch in Cloud’s fluffy hair. Can’t resist the urge to toy with it a little, so soft and silky from the earlier wash.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud?” He calls, voice low and soft, in case the other’s actually resting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not asleep.” Cloud grumbles from his place in Andrea’s lap. The dancer chuckles, and reaches to run his finger down the slope of Cloud’s nose, grinning then the other catches his hand. Cheekily twining their fingers and stroking the back of Cloud’s hand lightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I told Tifa one of us would call her. Give her an update on things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>On me you mean.” Cloud sighs, peeking up at him. Andrea chuckles and nods, because that is the long and short of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Do you want to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud nods and Andrea plucks up his phone and passes it over after unlocking it. Cloud thanks him quietly as he takes it, tucking it against his ear. But as it starts to ring, faintly audible in the quiet, Cloud shifts. Pulls it away and after a quick button press, the sound fills the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hello?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Tifa’s voice comes through, an edge of quiet concern tucked under her usual brightness. Andrea’s heart may melt just a little when he realizes Cloud flipped the phone to speaker mode.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“’</span>
  <span>Morning.” Cloud replies, the same quiet fondness in his voice that’s always there. There’s definitely a sigh on the other end. A not insignificant amount of relief in the sound before Tifa pipes up again with humour.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>More like good afternoon, you big sleepy head.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Guilty as charged.” Andrea feels Cloud shrug against his leg. “How’re things?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Good</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Pretty quiet so far. The kids are out at the park.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Biggs take ‘em?” Must be a friend of theirs Andrea realizes, recognizing the name from the semi-frantic call for help last night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Apparently there were ‘negotiations’ while I was away last night</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud huffs, voice dry, “Did you give him the S.O.S signal? How long’s he been missing? We might have a hostage situation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh I’m sure he can handle it.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Tifa replies, but the humour in her voice is just as clear. But her tone shifts. Carefully, quietly prying as she asks. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>How are you?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Better. Sleep did me good.” Cloud shifts a little and Andrea sees that odd look on his face again. The one that’s twisted between gratitude and that painful, but oh so clear self deprecation. The tone of his voice softening to match it. “Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You can thank me by being careful next time.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes ma’am.” Cloud says, with only a slightly exaggerated roll of his pretty eyes. But he sounds halfway genuine. That sweet, quiet sincerity to his voice that Andrea can’t help smiling at. Tifa seems pleased enough by his answer. Humming with satisfaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Is Andi there?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah. You’re on speaker.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh! Hi Andi!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hello Tifa.” Andrea replies with a smile. “How are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Good. You been holding up looking after our invalid?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey! I’m right here you know.” Cloud says in that absolutely adorable petulant way of his. Andrea laughs when he catches the pout.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>And yet I don’t hear you denying it</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Tifa chimes helpfully. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Has the idiot been behaving himself?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea chuckles, tracing a finger absently against Cloud’s hip. “Oh yes. He’s been </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> good for me so far.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud twitches against him, a sudden, sharp elbow digging into his thigh, but there’s nowhere for him to hide the bright flush of color that lights up his cheeks and the tips of his ears. Andrea meets his wide eyed gape with an unrepentant grin as Tifa laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I find that hard to believe.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” There’s that same, gentle fondness in Tifa’s voice. He can practically hear her rolling her eyes. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>You coming back today Cloud, or should we look for you tomorrow?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud blinks, struggling for a moment before he finds his voice again. Pointedly looking away from Andrea as he answers her. “I-uh. Not sure yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Well if we don’t see you by supper, expect the kids to call. They miss you.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah. I’ll keep my phone on me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You’d better.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Tifa says with a playful note of warning in her voice. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Well I gotta get going. G’night. Night Andi!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Good night Tifa, have a wonderful evening.” Andrea responds, just squeezing it in before Cloud ends the call.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Seriously?” Cloud groans, hands coming up to cover his face as he drops the phone to his stomach. Andrea blinks down at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Did I say something wrong?”Cloud mutters something indistinct beneath his hands. Andrea’s fairly certain it’s some of the man’s more...colorful vocabulary. It just makes the dancer grin even more. “What? You </span>
  <em>
    <span>have </span>
  </em>
  <span>been a very good boy for me today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud actually shudders at that one. A plaintive note in his echoing groan as he shifts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Andrea</span>
  </em>
  <span>-” Ah that one was audible. And enough to make Andrea chuckle, even as he bites at his lip. Fuck, he’s far too attached to that slightly dark note in Cloud’s voice. He reaches down, absently playing with Cloud’s messy spikes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t you like it, lovely?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not when I’m on the goddamn </span>
  <em>
    <span>phone</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Alright.” Andrea agrees, combing his fingers slowing across Cloud’s scalp. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud jerks and looks up at him, eyes wide. “I- huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea meets him with a smile and a light shrug. “I enjoy teasing you, sweetheart. But there’s plenty of ways I can do that without putting you on the spot as it were.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Y-you don’t gotta...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah. Andrea thinks he gets it now. At least in part. Cloud doesn’t ‘mind’ it necessarily, but even so Andrea doesn’t want to push him. Not when Cloud already struggles with the insecurities he has.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Same rules then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Rules?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>As before, I mean. When you were occupied.” Andrea traces a finger against Cloud’s lower lip. And oh, it’s too much fun to see the flush of color brighten a touch in Cloud’s cheeks as he continues. “If you can’t find your voice and I’m doing something you don’t want me to, one tap to ease up and two to stop. Or it could be a noise, like a snap or something if I’m not close enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a furrow between Cloud’s eyes. Something a touch heavy and confused as he peers up at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Why’re you making a big deal out of this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Because your happiness and comfort is far more important to me than any cheap thrills or laughs I may get out of it.” Andrea replies. Something tugging sharp at his heart when that seems to surprise Cloud. “So what do you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I don’t...” Cloud trails off, glancing away as he fusses with his fingers, picking absently at his nails. Andrea waits, recognizing the quiet for Cloud trying to work something out internally. It takes a couple minutes before Cloud speaks up, voice quiet. Almost hesitant. “...Same for you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Would you do all that too? If it was me, I mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s heart melts in his chest. God, how is he even the least bit surprised that </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> is the question Cloud thinks to ask? He smiles down at the other. “Of course. Two way street as it were.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Okay.” Cloud agrees with a faint nod. There’s something hovering at the back of his eyes as he turns his head, a little to look more closely at Andrea. “You busy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmm?” Andrea blinks, frowning then realizes he’s still got his paper in hand and laughs. “Oh. No, nothing immediately pressing. Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Wanna kiss you.” Cloud says in that devastatingly simple, no-nonsense way of his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Then I’m definitely not busy.” Andrea replies, making a show of dropping the heavy leaflet of papers to the ground beside the couch. Cloud rolls his eyes at him, but props himself up, twisting to catch Andrea’s lips. The dancer hums at the contact, reaching to tug at Cloud. Getting him to shift up and around until he ends up in Andrea’s laps, knees on either side of his legs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a gentle heat to the press of Cloud’s lips, but it lingers on the edge of the previous fire from earlier in the day. The potential for it to unfurl into more is there, certainly. But there’s just as much for it to not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea can’t help the quiet noise that slips from him when Cloud reaches. Hands brushing against his beard as they slide along his jaw. Curling against the curve of his skull. Not trying to turn or tilt him. Just holding on. Carefully, gently. The touch paired with the unusual look in Cloud’s eyes as he pulls back has Andrea’s heart doing flips and his stomach in strange knots.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud...?” He manages, voice a little rough. Something almost like worry in him, as he reaches out to brush at Cloud’s cheek with the back of his fingers. “Are you alright, sweetheart?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmm?” Cloud hums, sounding distant in a way that’d be worrying if not for the light in his eyes. The blond blinks, seeming to shake himself out of...whatever odd little state he’s fallen into. “Oh, uh. Yeah. Just...” Those beautiful, two toned eyes slowly drift across his face. That same, strangely soft something in them. It makes Andrea shiver faintly, unused to Cloud being the one doing the ‘looking’ as it were. “Missed you too, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s heart flutters, torn between trembling and swelling at the gentle, yet poignant weight of those words. Of the storm front of emotions he can hear- </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span>- brewing just behind them. That whispers to Andrea of something too much like loneliness. His hand stills on Cloud’s face. A tremble to his touch he doesn’t know how to name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s not sure how he misses Cloud leaning in, but Andrea doesn’t notice until Cloud’s forehead bumps against his gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I can hear you thinking. Stop fussing.” Cloud murmurs, the touch of his usual annoyance a mere whisper of a thing. Andrea blinks, can’t help the reflexive little chuckle that trips out of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Apologies then, my darling.” Andrea replies, just as quiet as he brushes a thumb against the edge of Cloud’s lips. Cloud shakes his head a little, eyes half lidded as he keeps watching Andrea. It’s a strange feeling. Not unpleasant. But...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Purposeful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea tilts his head, pressing closer to Cloud, brushing their lips together briefly. Cloud lets him, even shifting to accommodate. But his hands fall away from Andrea’s head, shifting instead to find the dancer’s. Andrea let’s him take them, curious as the other pulls them down. Cloud shifts to settle them against his waist and Andrea hums low in his chest. Fingers curling to the familiar contour.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud...” He breathes as they part. The edge of a question to the name. But Cloud just catches his lips against, hands sliding back up Andrea’s arms. Alright then, not in a talking mood, it seems. Fair enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s sweet, really, how gentle Cloud’s being. Just slow, careful presses of their lips. Feather light brushes of his fingers against Andrea’s arms, then his neck when he gets there. It threatens to have goosebumps erupt over his skin. It’s almost absentminded. Thoughtless, glancing touches. Less of a purpose, more just for the sake of closeness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea smiles into Cloud’s lips, trailing his hands down Cloud’s sides. Slipping his fingers under the hem of Cloud’s shirt. He pauses as he touches bare skin, but Cloud hums against him. Shifting closer. Andrea takes the obvious invitation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Andrea glides his hands up along Cloud’s back, he can feel the other shift against him. That same senseless, quiet noise slipping from him. Can feel the way Cloud’s started to stir against his stomach. The dancer pulls his head back slightly, peering up at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Do you want me to...?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Mm.” Cloud shakes his head. His fingers curl a little tighter against Andrea’s shoulders. But that’s all it is. Pressure. Not trying to push closer or pull away. “Nah. This- this is good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Alright.” Andrea murmurs, curling his hands against Cloud’s shoulder blades. Keeping the pressure firm. Consistent. Marvelling silently at the way Cloud melts into him. Tracing carefully along lean muscle. Across smooth skin. Pressing absently at the lingering tension and knots he finds here and there across Cloud’s shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The brush of Cloud’s lips becomes almost lazy. Andrea watches as Cloud’s eyes go lidded. A sleepy haze scrawling over his expression. Warmth flickers like candle fire in Andrea’s chest as he pulls one hand out from under Cloud’s shirt and curls in against the side of Cloud’s face. The other leans into the touch with a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silly, sweet boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly Andrea starts to move. Starts to turn himself, shifting to lay down on the couch. Cloud moves with him and they find themselves sprawled together in a tangle of limbs. Andrea smiles and tucks most of Cloud’s weight against him. Comfortable and warm as Andrea drapes an arm across Cloud’s waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Get some rest, beautiful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Thanks.” Cloud mutters against his neck, sounding nearly asleep. Andrea hum, reaching up to weave his fingers through Cloud’s hair. Gently cupping the back of Cloud’s head, cradling him close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Always, my darling.” Andrea says softly, pressing his lips to Cloud’s head through his wild hair. Smiling to himself at the way the soft ends tickle his skin. “Always.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d fallen asleep on the couch, cuddled up together. Woken only when the distant, shrill echoes of Cloud’s phone dragged them both up out of the quiet dark. Cloud woke with a start, jerking up and rolling onto his feet. Hyper vigilant as he scanned the room for a moment before it seemed to click what had pulled him out of his sleep. As he darted off to grab it Andrea slowly propped himself up. Neck a little sore from how he’d drifted off. He barely manages to swing himself up to a seated position before Cloud reappears, phone tucked between his ear and shoulder as he rubs at the bridge of his nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah, okay Marlene, just a second.” Cloud had said, grabbing hold of the phone and glancing at Andrea as he covers the mouthpiece. “You wanna eat?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea glances at his own phone, surprised when he sees how late it’s gotten. “Probably not a terrible idea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>On it. You got work to do.” Cloud says already ducking into the kitchen as he turns his attention back to his phone. “Alright kiddo, go ahead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea blinked helplessly after him before something warm and too fond folds itself over his expression. Shaking his head helplessly Andrea gets up. Stretching and shuffling about the place, flicking on lights, turning on music. Dragging himself out of the last bits of sleepy fog so he can focus. Besides just being plain sweet, Cloud’s right. He does have a hell of a lot of work to do. The file waiting for him has been the work of nearly a year at this point. Started before he’d even properly settled down in Edge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea works for what must be over an hour. And during that time he listens absently to the distant sound of Cloud working in the kitchen, followed not long after by absolutely delicious smells curling through the warming air. His writing hand starting to cramp up a touch, and curiosity nipping at his heels, Andrea finally gets up carrying all his things into the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>-ask him yourself.” Cloud says from where he’s leaned against the island. Phone tucked against his ear. “Yeah. Tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea edges into the kitchen, holding his hands up in surrender when Cloud side eyes him fiercely. Chuckling even as he sinks down into the nearest chair by the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Night, Denzel.” Cloud says, that warm fondness bright in his voice. A quiet smile in his eyes even as he hangs up a moment later and sighs. “Fair warning, you’re probably gonna be bombarded next time you swing by the bar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh? Whatever for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sorry. I’m off the clock. Can’t answer that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea laughs, grinning as much at what Cloud’s said as how he said it. That adorable, dry humor in his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well then I suppose it’ll just have to be a surprise.” Andrea chuckles and leans his head on his hand, eyeing Cloud as the other dips to peek in the oven. Another strong waft of hot, delicious smelling air pours out into the room. “Much like dinner, which smells amazing by the way. Is it close to being done? The last while’s been torture.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It’s got a while to go.” Cloud says and Andrea sighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Then I suppose I’ll just have to occupy myself till then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud hums, entirely unsympathetic. So Andrea resigns himself to going back to his work. He turns back to the papers he’d brought in with him. Plucking up the pen and notepad he’s scrounged up to start taking notes in. Key places and people all jotted down carefully. Listening to the quiet ambience of Cloud bustling about. Already setting to work cleaning up after himself and setting things up for their very late dinner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s phone starts ringing again as he pulls the wide pan from the oven. Andrea glances over as the blond picks it up. Sees with a kind of stomach clenching worry at the way that cold, business-like mask shutters his expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fuck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah?” Cloud asks soon as he picks up the phone, voice low and distant. There’s a pause as he listens then, he nods. Stiff. “Yeah. Sector’s One and Two are all that’s left. So-” Something annoyed flashes through his bright eyes. “Well maybe if someone did their job-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whoever’s on the other end of the line snips. Loud and irate, audible, but indiscernible. Cloud just sighs and rolls his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Already sent Tseng everything I found. Last one was just a shit load of bodies.” Andrea stomach churns. At how...casually, he says it. But Cloud’s moving on before Andrea can linger too long on such dark thoughts. “Fine. Keep me posted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud hangs up and practically tosses his phone to the counter, where it skitters along the surface for a moment. Something troubled, tired and dark hovering about the edges of his expression. Andrea aches beneath the weight of it, even though Cloud’s not looking at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Work?” He asks softly, something in him cracking when Cloud starts a little. Wide eyes jerking up to Andrea like he’d forgotten he was there. Then Cloud sighs, some of the darkness and tension fading out of him before he turns back to pulling their meal together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Mm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nothing new...?” Andrea says, unable to keep the fragile hope from his voice. Cloud’s still not entirely himself, even after having spent all of last night and large pieces of today dozing. He needs to rest. Needs the break. And frankly, so do Andrea’s nerves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not yet. They gotta do some digging. Possibly literally.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea can only imagine. He’d certainly found himself stunned into painful silence at the state of Sector Five when they’d gone there nearly two weeks ago now. Andrea shakes the thoughts and melancholy away. No use dwelling on it. He’s just relieved that Cloud isn’t being called away again yet. Because Andrea knows Cloud well enough to know that he’s going to dive head first back into the thick of it when that call finally comes.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t let it be soon.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Andrea thinks, a quiet plea sent out to the Planet. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Give him a few days at least</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud drops the conversation and Andrea lets it go, going back to his own work, massaging at one of his temples idly. The pieces are starting to line up in his head and on the paper before him. Whispers turning to rumors, turning to something genuine. An actual potential lead somewhere in Kalm by the looks of it. Humming to himself, Andrea taps his lower lip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s getting close. Andrea can feel it, anticipation building like a storm in his gut. He’s going to have to contact Leslie-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Knock knock.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s quiet voice is enough to make Andrea jump, startled from his thoughts. Cloud’s standing by the table, a loaded up plate in each hand. A tiny furrow between his eyes. “You okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes. Sorry, lost in thought.” Andrea says, hurrying to clear the space before him and taking one of the dishes from Cloud’s hands. His stomach growls as he eyes the succulent looking ribs and roasted vegetables, a colorful steaming medley. “This looks incredible. Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You want anything to drink?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I think there’s still a bottle of wine from mine and Claude's escapades last night. Do you mind?” Cloud shakes his head, setting down his own plate and returning a moment later with the bottle, two wine glasses. Andrea grins. “Oh? Joining me this evening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Why not.” Cloud shrugs, passing the bottle and opener to Andrea. The dancer pops the cork, inhaling the lovely aroma. He pours them both a healthy glass as Cloud settles into the chair beside him. Andrea passes him a glass and raises his own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cheers.” He says with a grin as Cloud obliges him, clicking their glasses together gentling. Echoing the ‘cheers’ as he lifts it to his lips. Andrea takes a drink of his own, humming low and pleased. Claude certainly has good taste.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The meal is, unsurprisingly, incredible. Andrea can and will absolutely admit being more than a touch jealous at Cloud’s inherent skills. And he has more than a little fun taking every opportunity he can to praise and thank him for it. If only to watch Cloud prickle in that sweet, embarrassed way of his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea takes over clean up, amidst Cloud’s quiet protests. All of which are summarily ignored. It’s nice to have something to focus on that isn’t names and words, plans and ploys marching like little ants through his mind. It doesn’t take that long in the grand scheme. Largely because Cloud was so consistent in keeping things tidied up after himself in the first place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once everything’s set to rights, Andrea heads out to join Cloud in the living room. The blond’s lurking by the front window, gazing out into the quiet night beyond. Andrea wanders over, taking one of his hands and squeezes gently, smiling at Cloud when the other’s attention flickers to him briefly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well lovely, what do you think? Ready for bed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not really all that tired after earlier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea nods, absently. He can understand that. It’s been an odd day. “A walk then? Fresh air and all that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea smiles and hurries off, dipping into the bedroom to grab them both light sweaters against the night time chill. When he gets back, Cloud rolls his eyes a little at the gesture, but lashes one of them around his waist anyway as Andrea slips his on. They tug on their shoes and in moments are striking off down the sidewalk. Following the quiet streets out towards the city’s edge. Andrea’s apartment lies in one of the more ‘dangerous’ parts of town, given its relative proximity to the wilds. But he’s always loved it for that very reason. For the view and quiet rush he gets looking out across the vast, looming world beyond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s quiet, of course. But it’s his peaceful, usual kind of quiet. Andrea’s not really sure when he learned the difference, but he’s glad he has. Makes it easy to quiet his own thoughts and just live in the moment. To find the simple joy in getting to take Cloud’s hand under the stars. To enjoy watching the way the waning moon catches in the ends of his pale hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The towering, dark steel spires of Edge’s architecture fall away suddenly, giving themselves up to open air, the sky above them a massive blanket of twinkling stars. Cloud turns off the walkways, following a gently sloping incline down alongside one of the main roads. Andrea follows, smiling when Cloud’s grip on him tightens in time to a quiet “Watch your step.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They end up perched atop one of the many twisted scrap piles that litter the ground. Clumps of metal and debris. All salvaged from Midgar and used in Edge’s ongoing construction efforts. Nothing really between them and the wider world beyond. It’s another little thrill tripping along Andrea’s spine. To be so very close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>The Watch patrols this area a lot. So don’t worry about monsters.” Cloud assures him as the other settles in. Andrea blinks and then chuckles. He hadn’t even thought about that to be honest. A part of him is very aware that Cloud wouldn’t have taken the chance bringing him out here if there’d been a real chance of danger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Never doubted that for a moment.” Andrea replies, scooting a little closer on the support beam they’re using as a bench. The metal’s cold, bleeding through Andrea’s clothes, but the gentle heat bleeding from Cloud’s a lovely contrast. He seems even more at peace here, somehow. And honestly, Andrea’s quietly amazed at how much improvement he’s shown over the course of the day. This time last night, Cloud had been insentient in his arms. Cold and too pale.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea reaches for him without thought. Resting a hand against the side of Cloud’s face, smiling when the other blinks and turns to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God help him, those damn eyes are going to be the death of him one day. Especially in moments like this. In the night quiet where the faint glint of them, that Andrea’s come to realize is always there, is so bright. When it seems like the stars themselves have drifted down and settled into his pupils.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What?” Cloud asks, voice soft as the cold shadows around them. Andrea blinks, dragging his focus back. He brushes his thumb against Cloud’s cheek, tipping his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You’re staring again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Does it bother you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud shifts, eyes dropping away from Andrea’s. Turning back out towards the world for a moment or two. Then there’s the faintest shakes of his head. “Mm. It’s just. You.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea doesn’t know if it’s because he’s so far gone on this man. Doesn’t know if it’s just because it’s Cloud. Doesn’t know if it’s because he’s learned more of how much lies behind his simple words. But they dig at his heart in something almost too sharp to be happiness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Funny you should say that.” Andrea says, chuckling when Cloud starts and turns back at him. “Since I stare because it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud blinks, that painful surprise curling through his expression. But then he sighs, those impossible eyes rolling. Andrea finds his amused, fond laughter caught by Cloud’s lips against his. The dancer hums, hand slipping to curl against Cloud’s neck as the other pulls back a touch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not going to accuse me of being a sap?” Andrea murmurs into the scant, heated space between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t need to if you already know it.” Cloud replies and Andrea heart flips over itself when he catches that faint shadow smile tucked in the corner of Cloud’s mouth. He leans in and kisses it quickly before Cloud pulls away again. He doesn’t go far, settling close enough to Andrea that their thighs press together. Andrea snags one of his hands, smiling when Cloud lets him without a fuss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea isn’t sure how long they sit there. Hadn’t bothered to bring his phone or anything else with him. He knows he’s got work in the morning and responsibilities he can’t shirk. But it’s hard to make himself give much of a damn in this moment. He likes to think it’s why the Planet had blessed them with the advent of coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>They’re different here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>The stars. Back...” Cloud’s gazing up at the sky. Posture relaxed as he leans back on his free hand. Voice soft. Hesitant, but reminiscent. “Back in Nibelhiem there was a big cluster of ‘em. Sat right over the centre of town. I don’t remember what they called it. But it was real. Pretty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I can only imagine.” Andrea replies with a murmur. Truthfully though, it’s hard to picture anything prettier than what lies overhead now. A touch of melancholy roosts itself inside Andrea’s chest. Reminded of how little he’s seen in the grand scheme of the world. Funny, he’s never had cause to think of his life as small before. But that’s becoming more and more evident to him, especially as he spends time around Cloud. When he hears the scattered stories and things the other lets slip once in a while.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s not sure he finds such ‘smallness’ as comforting as Cloud does.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud drops his head, a small furrow maring his expression. Andrea squeezes his hand gently. “Alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah. Just- I never thought I...”Cloud pauses. Wetting his lips, the furrow on his brow shifting a little. Not softening, but sidestepping into confusion. “That I’d miss it. ‘s weird.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It was your home. I think missing it sometimes is only natural.”Andrea can’t help but look back towards Midgar. “I know I certainly miss my old life at times. The people and places. The familiarity.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s that odd twist to Cloud’s expression. Like the one he’d had earlier when Andrea’d brought up looking for his Bee’s. It still needles at Andrea in a way he can’t quite describe. But the dancer just threads their fingers together. Tugging Cloud a little closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>But life goes on. I find there’s something rather. Incredible about that.” Andrea smiles at the touch of confusion in Cloud’s eyes. “That despite it all, we’re still here. That we can still enjoy the stars, even if they’re not the ones we grew up with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Those beautiful eyes flicker. Something indescribable passing through them, like a shadow underwater. But then something about Cloud softens. Shifts. Easing down into a look approaching a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah...” Cloud says, voice low as he glances back up towards the sky. “’s not bad. Just different.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>A breeze ripples through the air, brisk and biting even through Andrea’s sweater. Cloud pushes himself to his feet, easy and fluid. Turning back to offer a hand to Andrea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Come on. We should be getting back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well my lovely flowers, that’s about all we’ve time for today. I’ll see you all back here next week!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a scatter choruses of “Goodbye’s!” and “Thanks Andi!” as his class packs up and heads out. He returns the waves absently, happily chugging down what’s left in his water bottle. Laurem’s the last one out, as usual. He can see the gears in her head turning over and over. But she’s always been that way, especially as they start new choreography. It won’t surprise him if she asks for a bit of extra time one of the days. Which means he’s going to have to talk to Narisa- unfortunately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a knock at the door and Andrea glances over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah. There’s the Ice Queen now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Claude and he have a running theory that the woman has some sort of eighth sense whenever one of them is thinking of her. And as time goes on Andrea only finds the theory holding more and more water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Director.” He greets her cordially. Not that it ever makes a difference of course, but better not to inflame her without reason. He can see poor Laurem shifting on her toes, pale and nervous in a way she never is around him. The Director has that effect on people. Especially quieter souls like his dear pupil’s. “Laurem dear? If you see him on your way out, could you send Claude my way?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>H-huh?” Laurem jumps, looking at him. “Oh. Of course, Andi. Bye.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Laurem bolts from the room, squeezing carefully past Narisa as the other steps through the doorway. Pressing as far away from the other woman as she can as she scurries down the hall. Well, that’s one less innocent caught in the line of fire at the very least.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fact that Narisa hasn’t spoken rakes over Andrea’s nerves like coals. Silence on her end is never a good sign. Especially given her particularly...flammable attitude of late.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Did you need something?” He asks after a full minute under those chilly eyes. Narisa scoffs under her breath and it’s all Andrea can do not to roll his eyes. God, </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Especially at the end of the day. “Have I made some error, or-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t play stupid Rhodea. It doesn’t suit you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’d hardly call it playing since I genuinely have no idea why you’re here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Narisa stares at him. Sour expression on her face. Perhaps a touch sharper than usual. Andrea refuses to shift or bend before it. He’s stood his ground before worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I hadn’t thought I needed to express the fact that you’re my most talented instructor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait...what?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Which is why I find it so very disappointing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m...sorry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Stop wasting my time and your talents playing at being something you’re not, Andrea Rhodea. Or did you leave all that flare behind in Midgar?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shit...</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Something sinks into Andrea’s gut like a stone. Dammit. He’d been so careful. So fucking careful the past year. Trying to duck and dodge the way his...</span>
  <em>
    <span>reputation</span>
  </em>
  <span> tended to precede him. He’s not ashamed of who he was and what he did, of course. But he’d learned very quickly that even in their dying world, history </span>
  <em>
    <span>meant</span>
  </em>
  <span> something. Especially one as colorful as his. That it threw up roadblocks and red tape into his path.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Director-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Please don’t insult me further. You didn’t run in my circles, but it was damn near impossible not to hear your name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Why hire me then? Knowing who I was.” Andrea says, straightening up, hands curled together behind his back. This place has its ups and downs like everywhere else, but even so, he doesn’t think he’s quite ready to be thrown from it. Especially now that other things are actually starting to come together again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I didn’t. Not for certain.” Narisa says with a dismissive shrug, arms folding over her chest. “You provided the proof yourself, with the spring production.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I see.” Andrea says, the warning klaxon’s screaming in the back of his head. “So what? You want me out-”</span>
</p><p><span>“</span><span>God no. Get your head out of your ass.” Andrea blinks, stares. It’s the first time that he’s ever heard Narisa swear. And it almost makes the Ice Queen sound</span><em><span> human</span></em><span>- terrifying as that thought is.</span> <span>“I’m saying you should stop wasting your time playing in the kiddy pool. I’m giving you reign to put together a special class. You’re going to hand pick candidates, whomever you like from whichever classes. And come fall you’re going to lead our next production.”</span></p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m not giving up on my current students.” Andrea says immediately, Laruem’s quiet, determined expression swimming into his mind's eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m not expecting you to. But I am giving Harlow your juniors. You can keep the intermediates.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’d prefer not to lose them to him, if it’s all the same, Director.” Andrea replies, firm.“I can handle the extra work just fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hm. We’ll see. If I think you’re slipping I’m pulling them.” Narisa turns on her heel, waving a dismissive hand over her shoulder. “Talk to the others and find days you can sit in on their classes to observe. I’ll give you till the end of the month to have your crew assembled.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And just a quick as she’d come, Sprightly Steps Director vanishes, dragging all the warmth in the room out with her. The moment Andrea can’t hear her sharp steps echoing through the now empty hall he buries his head in his hands with a groan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God her mood swings are going to give him actual whiplash one of these days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well that sounded exciting.” Claude pipes up as he enters the room. Andrea just whines at him, a pained low sound echoing off the walls and mirrors. “Aww. What’s she got you with this time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh how about the part where she apparently knows my name and who I was.” He can</span>
  <em>
    <span> feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> Claude jump at that. Makes him feel a little better about his own reaction. “Oh, or maybe the bit where she just dropped the entirety of the fall production in my lap with not so much as a ‘how do you do.’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Ouch.” Claude replies, patting his shoulder gently. “You excited?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Exceptionally. I already have far too many ideas.” Andrea peeks out at his long time friend with a grin so wide it </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurts</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Feel up to some brainstorming sessions soon?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh honey, you know me. I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> up for it. We’re getting Lucia on board too, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Naturally. Who else would you trust with costuming outside yourself?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ooooh</span>
  </em>
  <span> this is going to be so much fun! Just like the good old days.” Claude squeals, spinning around in a series of lovely pirouettes. Then he gasps, twisting back around to stare at Andrea. “Oh that’s right! I forgot to tell you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Tell me what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Your boyfriend’s waiting for you outside. Said he called you, but I told him you keep your phone silenced during class.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea blinks, a moment of shock before it melts in a supernova wave of surprised delight. Claude giggles at him and Andrea can’t even tell him off for it. He can </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> the absolutely stupid expression on his face as he hurries over to his bag and digs out his phone. Sure enough, there’s a single missed call from Cloud. Andrea’s heart swells a little. He’d missed the call, and quite a while ago, but Cloud stuck around. Waiting for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God it makes Andrea feel all too much. Claude was right the other night. Cloud’s not even close to playing fair. Especially since Andrea knows the other doesn’t even mean to </span>
  <em>
    <span>be</span>
  </em>
  <span> playing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can feel Claude hovering behind him and looks to see his friend grinning at him. Something kind in the light in his eyes. “You two are so cute. Now hurry up and don’t keep the poor boy waiting. He was looking real fidgety out there. He has no idea how pretty he is, does he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not a damn clue.” Andrea sighs, helplessly fond. “People staring?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh yeah. And that’s putting it mildly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Then I do need to hurry. Sorry dear.” Andrea says, slinging his bag over his shoulder and heading for the door. Claude follows him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>No trouble at all. But I am curious since you had little Laruem track me down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Ah, yes. I was just wondering what your schedule looks like coming up here. I do still owe you for the other day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Awww. I like being the favourite.” Claude says, hugging himself with a giggle, “I’ll send you my schedule later today then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Deal.” Andrea says, pausing as they reach the main doors to turn back and hug Claude tightly. “You’re a gift, dear. Have a wonderful day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You too Andi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea feels a twin sensation of sympathy and pride at the relief that washes over Cloud’s face when he catches sight of him. Claude was right, the poor boy looks so tense it made Andrea’s shoulders ache. All sharp lines and angles beneath his loose cargo pants and grey hooded jacket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey there, beautiful.” Andrea greets as he draws up close to where Cloud’s lurking by Fenrir. “What’re you doing in my neck of the woods?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud straightens up and uncrosses his arms. Holding out a hand, in which he’s holding an adorably, unholy mess of glitter, paint and string. Andrea </span>
  <em>
    <span>thinks</span>
  </em>
  <span> there might be paper under it all. Somewhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Urgent delivery.” Cloud says, something wry in his tone. Andrea blinks, confused, but takes the thing out of Cloud’s hand. It takes him a moment but eventually he finds one of the strings is meant to be undone from it’s surprisingly pretty bow. He tugs it open, unfolds it and immediately feels a rush of warm, tender fondness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s an invitation to dinner tonight at Seventh Heaven. Signed very cutely- and emphatically- by Marlene.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What’s the occasion?” Andrea asks, looking up after he’s scanned the whole thing over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hell if I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea can’t help laughing at the tired sigh in Cloud’s voice and the way he shrugs his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well, it would be my absolute pleasure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Good. Cuz I really don’t think she’d take no for an answer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea laughs. He’d guessed that given the crooked RSVP options where yes, Yes and YES in increasingly bold, large lettering. The little check mark boxes below get smaller in the process. Charmed, Andrea digs in his bag for one of his loose pens and happily marks all three before handing it back to Cloud. Who only rolls his eyes once when he glances at it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You’re starting to spoil her.” The blond mutters, carefully tucking the paper away safely. Andrea grins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh and you don’t?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>That’s different. She’s had </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span> to wear me down.” Cloud replies evenly, slinging himself over Fenrir easily. “Want a lift?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Love one.” Andrea replies, climbing up behind Cloud and happily wrapping his arms around that thin waist. Clutching him perhaps a bit closer and tighter than usual. He’s missed Cloud something awful the past two days. But he can hardly begrudge the man heading off to spend some proper time with his family. Especially given how hectic Cloud’s life has been in the weeks before this. At least it seems like Cloud’s been resting, though he does still have those lingering dark circles around his eyes. Given how far he’d pushed himself, Andrea can’t say he’s too surprised that he’s still recovering from it. At least to some degree. Perhaps it’s something he should feel more worried about. But honestly, Andrea’s just glad Cloud’s okay. And that he hasn’t been called back out on yet another ‘job’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Do you have time to come in?” Andrea asks, as they arrive at his apartment. Cloud nods, a sigh in his voice as he replies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nothing but.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea chuckles. Only Cloud would act like he’s going stir crazy after a few days of rest. There’s a word for people like Cloud, who feel the pull of the world during all their waking hours. Something like wanderlust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s quite proud of himself honestly. That he manages to keep his hands off Cloud until they're tucked safely behind closed doors. It’s worth it, to catch the sweet, surprised noise Cloud makes as Andrea drops his bag to the floor, turns and crowds the other back against the door. To see those wide, unreal eyes blink up at him, an edge of hunger to the startled light in their depths. To feel Cloud’s pulse surge beneath his palm, breath falling a bit harder. A touch quicker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud.” Andrea rumbles, voice low, edging into darkness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>W-what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You’re wearing </span>
  <em>
    <span>white</span>
  </em>
  <span>, my darling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A fact that Andrea’s had resolutely forced himself to ignore since he came out of the studio earlier. One that he can no longer bring himself to in the quiet privacy of his home. Especially now that he gets to be close enough to drag his hands down Cloud’s toned chest. Now that he’s close enough to watch Cloud’s eyes flicker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Uh...y-yeah?” Cloud sounds confused. A touch unsure. Andrea reminded painfully that Cloud had been drifting the last time Andrea got to see him like this. But Andrea tucks that pain away, gliding his hands back up to Cloud’s shoulders, pulling at the grey jacket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>And as I told you last time, sweetheart.” Ah. There’s that quiet flicker of recognition. Andrea’s glad the memory of that morning isn’t lost, at least not entirely. “Seeing you like this makes me want to do rather terrible things to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You didn’t.” Cloud says, voice low and a touch breathless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmm?” Andrea hums, arching a brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You never said that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh? My mistake then. Allow me to clarify.” Andrea reaches up, catching Cloud’s chin in his hand. Strokes his thumb along Cloud’s lower lip slowly. “Seeing you in this goddamn shirt makes me want to pin you to the nearest available surface, get my tongue in you and </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> you with it till you cum.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s jaw actually drops. A bright flare of aroused heat flashing through his eyes, twisting his expression as color floods up into his cheeks and ears. Andrea can </span>
  <em>
    <span>hear</span>
  </em>
  <span> him swallow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh fuck...” Cloud breaths, voice a hoarse rasp. The dancer can’t stop the sharp smile that curls over his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Is that a yes, lovely?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His answer comes in the form of one of Cloud’s inhumanly fast motions. A hand curling against the back of Andrea’s neck tightly, pulling him down and forward. Crashing their lips painfully together as Cloud arches into him. Andrea knows he makes some kind of noise, but his ears ring with the needy gasp that Cloud buries in his mouth. Andrea abandons his attempts to strip Cloud’s jacket, dropping his hands down to twist his fingers into his belt loops and press their hips together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud jerks back from him with a groan as Andrea grinds hard against him. Andrea ducks his head into the curve of Cloud’s neck. Only just reigning himself back from sinking his teeth into that lovely, pale flesh. They had an agreement about that after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Words, Cloud. I want to hear you say it.” Andrea manages, voice a growl as he works his way down Cloud’s neck. Cloud shudders before him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah. Fuck yeah-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea forces himself to pull back. To take a step away. Everything in him shuddering as he catches the way Cloud’s hands lurch after him, something stunned and pleading in those bright eyes. Andrea meets him with an almost wicked smile, outwardly calm despite the fire raging through him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Shoes off then, beautiful. You’re going to be here a while.”</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Whoops did I just tease smut...^^"</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Long end notes since I kept you all waiting so long already.</p><p>Also: Avasti is an absolute angel.</p><p>Edit: Also, also, if anyone's curious</p><p>https://www.structube.com/en/arielle-velvet-armchair-97-47-18?pid=28571</p><p>That's what I had in mind for Andi's chair.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s an internal battle with himself to wait for Cloud to rid himself of his heavy combat boots. For Andrea to stop himself from reaching out and pulling him back in close before he has a chance to set them off to the side. Neat as usual. An endearing trait that does exactly nothing to calm the storm rumbling through Andrea’s blood. Nor does the way Cloud fumbles a moment then stands before Andrea. Hands flexing at his sides, the leather of his gloves creaking. Pretty flush still dusting his cheeks as those two toned eyes dart up to Andrea.</p><p>Fuck, if the look in them doesn’t sink into Andrea’s gut like a fist. Against the bright color of the shirt the beauty of them- the indescribable color and vibrancy- is otherworldly. With a rumble in the back of his throat Andrea steps forward again. Pressing Cloud back into the door with a brief rattle as he leans in and catches his lips in a searing kiss. Groaning in time with him as those strong, gloved hands lurch up. One resting against his chest, fingers curling into his shirt, the other gripping the curve of his neck. The cool, supple texture threatens to have goosebumps ripple out over Andrea’s skin. Feeling flushed and heated all the way down to his bones.</p><p>God it’s ridiculous. More than ridiculous.</p><p>He honestly can’t bring himself to give a shit. It’s Cloud- and Cloud is the exception to every carefully laid rule Andrea’s ever set for himself. To everything he’s ever known or felt. It’s an intoxicating thrill that only adds more fuel to the fire.</p><p>Cloud gasps as they part, still close enough to share breath as Andrea slips a hand around to his lower back. Sliding it up under his shirt, firm against warm skin as he presses to arch Cloud into him.</p><p>“God, what you do to me Cloud.” Andrea says, a touch of dark to the low rumble of his words. He curls a hand against Cloud’s jaw, pressing a thigh between the blond’s. Cock pulsing when he feels Cloud’s starting to stir. Cloud makes a quiet noise from the pressure. One that Andrea leans in to steal with another probing kiss. Cloud’s grip on him shifts, tightens. The hand at his neck sliding around to grip the back firmly. Holding him close as Andrea presses his tongue in between Cloud’s parted lips. Tongues sliding together in a heated, wet press.</p><p>It’s not enough- never enough. Not yet. Andrea absolutely meant what he’d told Cloud. About how he wanted him. But it’s hard as hell to gather his thoughts, composure cracking at the seams beneath an avalanche of desire. As Cloud moans and drags Andrea closer. Andrea’s grip on his chin tightens, holding Cloud in place as he forces himself to pull back before he loses it completely. Embers sparking like lightning through his veins when Cloud whines at him, low and breathless.</p><p>“Easy.” Andrea says, voice rough. Meant as much for himself as Cloud. “Or I’m liable to keep you right here.”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes flash, already that surreal glow brightening them. But there’s a flicker beneath his expression. Something anxious as he eyes cut away, head turning slightly as he glances back at the door. Andrea can’t help smiling as he turns Cloud back towards him, leaning in to feather his lips against Cloud’s cheek. It doesn’t surprise him of course, to find Cloud worried about the possibility of being overheard as it were. Especially given his usual attitude towards the attention of strangers.</p><p>Andrea nuzzles at the sharp line of Cloud’s jaw, humming when the other’s head tilts, giving him better access. Nips at the smooth skin gently. Dragging his hand back out from beneath Cloud’s shirt, nails tracing across skin. Grinning as Cloud shivers at the touch. He catches one of Cloud’s hands and starts walking backwards, tugging at the other.</p><p>“Come on. Come with me, lovely.”</p><p>Cloud blinks after him, something flickering beneath his eyes before he nods and follows. Andrea smiles and starts pulling at Cloud’s gloves as they walk. Loosening the strap around his wrist before tugging it down. He sets the glove aside on the table, pausing beside it a moment to do the same with the other. Lifting Cloud’s hand, Andrea closes his teeth against the end of the middle finger. The scent of leather tickling his nose as he works the glove off slowly. Eyes on Cloud’s. Watching with heated delight as they widen, Cloud’s breath hitching in his chest.</p><p>Andrea slips it from between his teeth, tossing it aside to join the other as he pulls Cloud’s hand closer. Tracing his lips along slender fingers. Smiling to himself when Cloud reaches for him. Catching it, Andrea tugs him further into the living room. Pulling him close to kiss him again. Slow and deep. Cloud’s hands rest on his shoulders as Andrea grips his lean waist. Turning them in a careful, sedated circle Pressing Cloud back until he settles against the back of Andrea’s chair. Cloud pulls away this time, blinking down at the chair then back up at Andrea. The dancer meets him with a sharp, half grin. A furrow flickers over Cloud’s brow.</p><p>“What?” Cloud asks, and the fact he sounds breathless sends sparks dancing over Andrea’s nerves. Resting his forehead against Cloud’s Andrea watches those surreal eyes. Unable to keep from smiling when he sees them dart down towards his mouth. He squeezes Cloud’s waist between his hands before sliding it down to toy with Cloud’s belt loops.</p><p>“Is here alright?” Andrea asks, tipping his head slightly. “Or would you rather we head to the bedroom?”</p><p>“I, uh...” Cloud’s eyes flash. The color in his cheeks darkened a little. His shoulders hunch a touch, gaze dropping away from Andrea’s even as he nods. The motion slow and a touch cautious. “Here’s. Fine.”</p><p>Andrea hums, leaning in to brush their lips together. Light and teasing. Goading Cloud into responding. He does, turning his head to catch Andrea’s lips more firmly after a few touches. Andrea licks just inside his mouth, hands slipping under Cloud’s shirt and skating up his torso. Cloud makes a beautiful, quiet noise as Andrea toys with Cloud’s nipples. Rubbing and tweaking them just to tease out his voice. To make that nervous tension fade.</p><p>It works. Cloud shifting before him, pressing closer. The flames between them sparking higher. Flaring as Cloud pulls him in, hips rolling up into Andrea’s in a slow hard press. They both groan from the pressure, Cloud’s pitching into a gasp as Andrea drags his hands back out from under Cloud’s shirt in a light drag of nails.</p><p>“Shit.” Cloud breathes, blinking up at him as Andrea pulls back. The dancer makes himself take a breath, hard and deep. Enough to settle the fog in his head to think. Even then, right now there’s only one clear thought in his head.</p><p>He wants Cloud.</p><p>“Turn around.” He says, voice low. Cloud’s eyes flash, lips parting a touch. But he straightens, turning on a heel to face the chair. Andrea reaches out, catches his hips and pulls Cloud back against him. Lips to the soft patch of skin behind Cloud’s ear. “Hands on the chair, lovely.”</p><p>The shiver that ripples down Cloud’s spine echoes through Andrea’s. Cloud lets out a slow breath, hands falling to brace on the back on the chair. The height making his back stoop enticingly. Andrea follows, fitting himself to lithe lines as he wraps his arms around Cloud’s waist, toying with the button on his pants.</p><p>“Come on.” Cloud rumbles beneath him, a faint, rough edge to his voice. Andrea nips at the edge of Cloud’s ear, hips rolling subtly against the curve of Cloud’s ass. A bid for pressure against his steadily swelling cock.</p><p>“Oh I will, darling.” He murmurs into Cloud’s skin. He pops Cloud’s button, the drag of his zipper nearly as enticing as the way Cloud groans. Pressing the bulge of his own erection towards Andrea’s hand. Andrea pulls his hand away, chuckling at tutting at the noise Cloud makes in the back of his throat. “Ah, ah, precious. I already told you- you’re cumming from my tongue.”</p><p>Cloud’s shoulders hitch sharp against his chest and Andrea catches the faint creak as his grip tightens on the chair.</p><p>“Fuck.” The word’s the edge of a moan in Cloud’s rough voice. Tracing his lips in a damp, heated line down Cloud’s neck, Andrea nips at the prominent knob at the top of his spine. Not enough to mark, but the sting of it has Cloud pressing back into him. Andrea lavs his tongue against the chemical salt of Cloud’s neck, fingers catching in the waistband of Cloud’s pants firmly. In a fluid slide, Andrea sinks down to his knees, dragging both them and Cloud’s underwear down. Getting Cloud to step out of them, Andrea tosses them to the side and runs his hands back up the smooth, toned length of his legs. Biting at his lip as he reaches Cloud’s ass, kneading at firm muscle. It’s truly unfair how damn <em> pretty </em> all of him is. Cloud twitches, a slight edge to his voice. “You finally going somewhere with this?”</p><p>“Of course, little storm cloud.” Andrea replies, voice a low rumble, “But can you blame me for taking a moment to admire?”</p><p>He can practically feel Cloud rolling his eyes. Sees it in the way he shifts, feels him press back into his touch. Andrea chuckles, deep in his chest, hands moving to drag Cloud’s shirt up. Letting it settle halfway up his back.. Arching on his knees to kiss the sweet dimples on Cloud’s lower back.</p><p>“Relax.” Andrea murmurs, reaching to curl his hands against the back of Cloud’s thighs. Pressing until Cloud moves, letting them part into a more relaxed spread. Hears the slow, careful breath Cloud takes. And the way it hitches on the way out as Andrea parts his cheeks with his thumbs.</p><p>Cloud trembles under his hands as Andrea leans in. Nosing at his skin, lips pressing to the tight furl of muscle in a soft brush. It still makes Cloud start, a sharp intake of air.</p><p>“Andrea- <em> a-aah! </em>”</p><p>Andrea makes a pleased hum in his throat at the sharp sweet note of Cloud’s voice. Shifting to drag his tongue over the other’s entrance again. Slower this time. The blond shudders. Another faintly stunned noise slipping from him.</p><p>“So sensitive...” Andrea hums, gently nosing at Cloud’s skin. He can feel Cloud twitching beneath his hands. The motion confused, yet wanting. Andrea’s hands squeeze against his hips, rubbing at sharp bone. “Has no one ever done this for you?”</p><p>He feels Cloud shift, hears a low groan and nips at one of his cheeks lightly. Chuckling when it makes Cloud jump. “Words, lovely.”</p><p>“No.” Cloud manages after a moment, clearly through gritted teeth. Tinged with that sharp, familiar hit of embarrassment. Andrea smiles, trading teeth for lips as he presses a kiss to the subtle swell of Cloud’s ass.</p><p>“Do you like it?”</p><p>“Y-...yeah.” The embarrassment is sharper this time, but with a lovely edge of<em> want </em> to it that makes Andrea’s gut clench.</p><p>“Hmm, good.”</p><p>Cloud’s next breath shudders out of him in a groan as Andrea leans back in. The flat of his tongue against Cloud’s taint, toying with his balls a moment. Cloud gasps, the chair creaking again as Andrea drags it up. Repeats the motion again and again. Shifting his focus slowly, narrowing it down until he’s tonguing Cloud’s entrance. Alternating between rapid flickers and slower, tighter drags. Andrea can’t help groaning as Cloud shudders. At the sounds that drag and trip themselves out over his tongue.</p><p>“<em> Hgn </em> ... <em> a-aahh! </em> ” Cloud’s back arches further, forehead bracing against his forearms. Legs shifting to slip further open. Hips twitching beneath Andrea’s hands as he grips them. Drifting between pressing closer and trying to shift away in fits and starts. “God- <em> nnn </em>- s-shit, Andrea.”</p><p>“Hmm...that’s it, beautiful. That’s it.” Andrea groans, breath falling harder as he pulls back for a moment. Cloud’s voice pitches into a high, stifled noise in his throat. Canting back towards Andrea. A faint, sporadic tremble rippling through him. Curious, Andrea slips a hand further, brushing against the hot, velvet steel of Cloud’s erection. Cloud moans, the voice broken and sharp as Andrea trails it up, thumbing at the sensitive head. “Fuck, look at you. So perfect.”</p><p>Cloud shudders before him as Andrea leans back in. Jerking, even as Andrea tightens his hold on Cloud’s hips. Keeping him still and close. Cloud’s not really trying to pull away. It’s more that he can seem to settle on what to do with himself. The lean, gorgeous muscles of his back and legs seizing and twitching. Tremors tripping down his spine, breath picking up. Quiet throaty and breathy noises escaping him every time Andrea changes pace, or pressure. As Cloud’s entrance grows pliant beneath his touch, Andrea presses the tip of his tongue against him. Not enough to enter- not yet- but the tease is there. The promise.</p><p>Andrea can see and feel Cloud’s knees starting to quake in earnest. Catches the way Cloud’s trying to muffle his voice against his arms. That won’t do. Not today. Andrea pulls back and Cloud makes a sound that verges on wounded in its intensity. Shifting to look back at Andrea as the dancer pulls away. God those eyes. The heat and need in them threatens to have Andrea’s own knees start shaking as he stands. Not helped from the faint soreness in them from having been kneeling for so long.</p><p>“Wh-”</p><p>“In the chair.” Andrea says, voice even and dark as he makes himself breathe. Cloud blinks at him, confusion and desire tearing through his expression in uneven, jagged swaths. But slowly he levers himself back up on his arms, pushing to stand straight. The hem of Cloud’s shirt slips back down, ghosting against the taught muscle. Makes the reddish color stick out all the more. Irritation from where Andrea’s beard has been rubbing against tender flesh. The sight is enough to have a low growl rumble through Andrea’s chest. “Now, if you please.”</p><p>Cloud stares, eyes flaring. But he eases himself around the side of the chair. Steps a little uneven. Erection swaying slightly between his thighs. He glances back at Andrea a moment before sinking down to the soft, plush surface. Hovering on the edge of the seat, skin rippling as Andrea drifts past him, sliding his fingertips along his bicep. Resting his hands against Cloud’s shoulders as he leans over the other. Cloud lets himself be pressed back, head falling to rest against the back of the seat as Andrea dips down to watch his eyes.</p><p>“There we are, beautiful. Isn’t that better?” There’s a faint furrow to Cloud’s brow. Something stormy in the back of his eyes. Something like frustration. Andrea tips his head. “What- <em> mm </em>!”</p><p>His question is cut off by Cloud’s lips, as the other reaches up and tugs him down. Andrea catches himself from colliding fully with Cloud, a knee bracing on the seat beside Cloud’s leg. One hand on the arm as he groans into Cloud’s mouth as it parts beneath his. Takes the unspoken invitation to glide his tongue against Cloud’s. A slick, heated press of need and a rumbling moan from Cloud. The blond’s hands slide up Andrea’s shoulders, tugging at his shirt. Dragging it up his back.</p><p>“Off.” Cloud grumbles into the heated air between them. Andrea lets out a faintly breathless chuckle and helps Cloud wrangle it over his head. Hums as Cloud’s hands settle against his chest again.</p><p>“Better?” Andrea asks, heat rippling through him at the feeling of the calluses on Cloud’s hands drag against his skin. Cloud nods absently, touch gliding down towards his stomach.</p><p>“Getting there.”</p><p>As Cloud’s hands catch against the waist of his pants Andrea finally moves to catch them. Sliding his fingers through Cloud’s and tugging them up and away to press against the arms of the chair. “Mm mm. Not right now.”</p><p>Cloud huffs at him, arching a brow. Andrea just smiles, leaning in to kiss him again. Deep and distracting as he coasts his own down, then up under Cloud’s shirt, slowly dragging it up his chest. Smiling to himself when Cloud whines a little as he shifts to hungrily kiss his way down the line of Cloud’s neck. The shirt bunches up around Cloud’s shoulders and he makes a quiet noise.</p><p>“Lemme guess- it stays on too.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, shooting Cloud a grin as he shifts further down. “Such a clever boy.” Doesn’t give Cloud a chance to retort before he dips his head to press his mouth over Cloud’s right nipple, sucking it firmly into his mouth. Cloud’s voice cracks into a high gasp. Spine arching up into Andrea to press closer. Hands reaching to curl against Andrea’s head, brushing across his short cropped hair. The delightful heat of his hands bleeding into Andrea’s skin. The dancer hums, sucking and lapping at the tender skin. Revelling in the quiet noise Cloud makes in response.</p><p>“Andrea- <em> ngh </em>.” Cloud whines at him, pressing at his shoulders. Andrea parts from his prize reluctantly. Eyeing the peaked, rosy hued skin. He shifts over, pressing his lips firmly to the scar on the other side, Cloud’s fingers twitching against his skin. Delightful as his reactions are when Andrea spends time toying with him, right now Andrea really just wants to get his tongue in him.</p><p>Andrea works his way down Cloud’s body, leaving haphazard red marks in his wake. But as he goes to settle back on his knees, he feels a sudden pull to one of his arms.</p><p>“Wait.”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea looks up. Cloud shifts before him, sitting forward and arching as he plucks the pillow out from behind his back and tossing it to the floor in front of the chair. Andrea’s heart stutters in time to the surprise that flickers through him. A far gentler fire than the one that’s been raging through him thus far.</p><p>What is he going to do with this boy?</p><p>Andrea’s whole expression softens, a quiet smile edging itself over his lips. Leans back up to nuzzle his nose against Cloud, not caring that the other grumbles and shoves at him halfheartedly. If Cloud’s going to be sweet, then Andrea feels more than justified in being a ‘sap’.</p><p>“Thank you sweetheart.” He murmurs, watching those bright, beautiful eyes. God, he’s the sweetest thing. The flush of color brightening on his face. But he nods and lets Andrea go to sink to his knees. The soft, plush material is a balm to the faint ache.</p><p>Andrea catches the head of Cloud’s cock between his lips, sucking at the sensitive flesh. Cloud gasps and a moment later one of his hands is pushing at Andrea. Firm and insistent. Andrea pulls back, blinking up at the other with a raised brow.</p><p>“No?”</p><p>The flush in his face is even darker, tricking down to color his neck prettily. Cloud shakes his head. His eyes darting between Andrea’s and the open air. Unable to keep eye contact as he speaks.</p><p>“That’s. Not what you said.”</p><p>Heat drops like a stone into Andrea’s gut. Realizing what Cloud means. What he’s <em> really </em> asking. He slides his hands along Cloud’s thighs. Rubbing at corded muscle.</p><p>“Do you think you can cum just from that?”</p><p>“Don’t know. Never tried it.” Cloud’s trying for his usual, indifferent gruffness. But it’s shattered by the faint, breathless tremble beneath his voice. By the wash of building desire. “First time for everything, right?”</p><p>“...Right.” Andrea murmurs, something bright and electric curling through his veins. Lancing through his nerves as he watches Cloud’s face. “Let’s see if we can get you there then, shall we?”</p><p>Cloud shivers, hips twitching up. A fresh bead of precum bubbling up, adding to the pool forming on his stomach. He bites his lower lip, nodding. Andrea grins sharply as Cloud gasps when the dancer grasps the back of his knees. Andrea pulls and shifts him. Curling Cloud back in on himself. Arching his legs up and out till his feet rest on the arms. It’s an impressive display of flexibility- especially for one not in Andrea’s profession. Stokes the heat in his gut higher. Leaving Cloud splayed wide and entirely open to Andrea’s ravenous gaze.</p><p>Cloud shivers, breath catching in his chest. Andrea can hear his fingers dragging against the velvet material in an uneven drag. “A-Andrea...”</p><p>Andrea hums, sliding his hands down the backs of Cloud’s thighs, running his nails against Cloud’s skin. Grinning when it ripples beneath his touch. “Comfortable?”</p><p>“I-I...” Cloud’s voice cuts off, eyes darting away as he nods shakily. The tilt to his expression is familiar. Andrea softens a touch, shifting to rub slow, tender circles against Cloud’s legs.</p><p>“Oh Cloud...” Andrea sighs, heart torn between desire and fondness. “You don’t need to be embarrassed, my darling. You’re beautiful. Just relax for me, hmm?”</p><p>“E-easy for you to say.” Cloud mutters under his breath. Andrea chuckles. Fair enough, Andrea’s never been one to get easily embarrassed. But still, he’s very determined to prove to Cloud he has no need to be. Not around him. Certainly not for this. Better to distract the darling boy then, take his mind off it.</p><p>“You remember our sign?” Andrea asks, a subtle thrill tripping through him in time to the quiet flare of Cloud’s eyes. Oh. That’s funny. He hadn’t thought calling something, well, <em> theirs </em>would hit quite so hard. Even something as simple as that. He can feel it hovering in the air between them, weighted, but precious.</p><p>“One to slow. Two to stop.” Cloud says quietly. Edged in something that makes Andrea shiver. Like Cloud’s been hit just as hard as he was.</p><p>“Perfection.” Andrea’s hands curl against Cloud’s hips, supporting him as the dancer leans in to nuzzle at Cloud’s taint gently. Breathing in the musk of his skin, letting out a slow, hot breath. “I don’t plan on stopping until you cum. Not unless you tell me to. Deal?”</p><p>“Yeah” Cloud says, the tone of his voice rough. “Sounds good.”</p><p>Andrea smirks. Oh he’s sure he can do better than <em> good </em>. Much, much better.</p><p>Cloud’s legs twitch as Andrea leans in to drag his tongue heavily against Cloud’s entrance. A breathy gasp leaking into the air before Cloud cuts himself off. Biting at his lower lip. Andrea growls under his breath.</p><p>“Come on sweetheart. Let me hear you.” Andrea coxes, squeezing Cloud’s hips tightly arching them a little further. “The sounds you make- fuck. Liable to make me cum in my pants.”</p><p>Cloud huffs at him, “Shut- <em> haah </em>!”</p><p>He doesn’t get further than that, voice cutting out on a sharp noise. Andrea groans into his skin as he leans to press his mouth to Cloud’s ass. A sensual parody of a kiss. Pressing the tip of his tongue firm against the furl of muscle. Working it inside the tight ring.</p><p>“Ah- <em> god </em> ! Andrea- <em> hgn! </em>”</p><p>Cloud jerks beneath him, a familiar high whine leaking into the air. Fuck he’s so gorgeous. Especially as he quivers, unable to shift or arch away with how he’s practically folded in on himself. Still Andrea pins his waist to the seat. Keeping him still and held in place as Andrea sinks his tongue deeper.</p><p>God, it’s intoxicating. Every one of his senses is thoroughly enveloped by Cloud. Closes his eyes just to drink in more. To lose himself in the heady sensation of working Cloud open with his tongue. To feel his lean strong form twitch and squirm even as his entrance falls lax beneath the constant attention. Enough that Andrea can start actually thrusting his tongue in and out. Slow at first, but building speed.</p><p>“Andrea.” The sound of his name, after a constant litany of mindless noise is enough to catch the dancer’s attention. Enough to open his eyes and look at Cloud again. “A-andrea, please. <em> Please </em>-”</p><p>Oh fuck. God it’s unfair how good Cloud looks when he’s a mess. Something particularly devastating about it today. With the contrast of his hair and the white of his shirt against the dark color of Andrea’s chair. Knocks the breath from Andrea’s lungs as he stares. Cloud’s panting open mouthed, skin glistening from sweat and the precum he’s spilled. His cock stiff. A throbbing, painful looking red.</p><p>Andrea couldn’t stop the noise that rips out of him at the sight if he tried. Pressing closer and gently scraping his teeth against the puffy rim of Cloud’s entrance. Cloud jerks, hands lurching up to clutch at the back of the chair. Digging into the black material, lean muscles bunching deliciously all throughout his arms and shoulders.</p><p>“Fuck- <em> fuck </em>-!”</p><p>Cloud’s voice breaks. Andrea can feel his waist and abdomen clench. Can feel him starting up that tell-tale tremble that always over takes Cloud as he edges closer and closer to climax. It’s one of the most beautiful things in the world.</p><p>Andrea groans, a low, powerful rumble deep in his chest. Loses himself to desire and the magma in his bloodstream. Buries his face against Cloud’s ass tightly, fucking his tongue into him in fast, hard motions. Pushing Cloud high and higher. Making his own needy, hungry noises as Cloud’s voice falls away into a stream of gorgeous sounds. Gasping hard for breath against his desire and the way his chest is compressed.</p><p>“<em> Hghn- a-aaah... </em>”</p><p>“Fuck...” Andrea pants, pulling back to catch his breath a moment. God, Cloud’s so open for him. Soft and pliant, glistening with Andrea’s spit. “Look at you, perfect boy.”</p><p>“Please-!” Cloud gasps, desperation bright in his voice and in those wide, brilliant eyes as he stares down at Andrea. “Please don’t-”</p><p>“Don’t?” Andrea echo’s, voice rough. Reaching up to catch Cloud’s hand as he reaches for him. Lacing their fingers and squeezing back as Cloud clutches at him tightly.</p><p>“Stop. D-don’t stop-” Cloud’s teeth sink into his lower lip, pupils blown with desire. Glowing bright as Andrea’s ever seen them. “Andrea, please. Please- ‘m close-”</p><p>He’s not kidding either. Cloud’s erection looks <em> painful </em>. Dark red and leaking a near constant stream of precum onto his skin. Straining and twitching into the air as Cloud gasps, trembling. Andrea tightens his grip on Cloud, slipping his other hand over to stroke at Cloud’s shaking thigh.</p><p>“Shh, shh, shh. I’m not. I’ve got you Cloud.” And god, if the sound Cloud makes at that doesn’t make Andrea’s own cock strain hard in the confines of his pants. <em> Fuck </em>- “Can I get my fingers in you, darling? You’re so open for me...”</p><p>“Y-yeah. Fine. ‘s fine-”</p><p>Andrea drags his hand down from Cloud’s thigh, slipping it down to rest two fingers against Cloud’s entrance. Pressing them in. A slow, but firm motion, curling them against Cloud’s prostate. Cloud jerks, a breathless curse shattering in the back of his throat.</p><p>“That’s it. That’s a good boy now.” Andrea breathes, nosing at the base of Cloud’s cock. Lips pressing a wet, heated kiss against his balls.</p><p>Cloud let’s out a choked sob and Andrea feels a little like he’s been kicked in the chest. Especially when Cloud’s free hand drops from the back of the couch, sinking it into his messy blond locks. Gripping and tugging at the sharply. Mouth falling open as Andrea dips back down to shove his tongue back inside him. Pressing it between his spread fingers and lapping at his sensitive rim. Cloud rips his hand away from Andrea’s, catching himself as his legs nearly slip from their splayed position on the arms of the chair.</p><p>God, he’s perfect.</p><p>Absolutely <em> perfect </em>.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t bother sparing another thought to his own arousal. Little more than a heat haze of rising need. Far more focused on pushing Cloud further. To get over that final hill. Working him over with his fingers and tongue. Intent and intense. Drowning in the helpless, desperate sounds that every motion wrings out of Cloud. In the way Cloud’s clutching at his hair, clawing at the chair. His legs seizing and shaking. Harder and harder. Spasms of lean muscles bunching in time to needy gasps. The walls of his ass ripple and tighten around Andrea’s fingers.</p><p>“A-Andrea- <em> Andrea </em>-”</p><p>“Come on sweetheart. Come on, let go. I know you can.” Andrea buries his nose tight against Cloud’s perineum. Eyes darting up towards Cloud. Watching that pretty face and his vibrant, glowing eyes. All more so against the damn shirt that still rucked up unevenly around his shoulders and chest. Andrea’s voice drops into a low, dark rumble. “Be a good boy and cum for me.”</p><p>Cloud’s voice cracks, vanishing on the end of a breathless shout. Spine arching hard in the confined space, head rolling. Cock jerking into the open air as his release coats his skin in long ribbons of white. Andrea pushes him further and further, on and on until Cloud’s voice returns with a high whine. Andrea stops, breathing hard even as he eases his fingers out of Cloud carefully. Gently. Not wanting to push him any further into over sensitivity.</p><p>“Cloud...<em> god </em> .” Hell, Andrea can barely <em> think </em>- let alone speak. Scarcely able to breath around the near literal fire raging inside of him. Blood coalescing between his legs in a vicious, pounding ache. “God you’re so beautiful...”</p><p>“Shit...Oh shit. <em> Fuck </em>, get up here.” Cloud gasps, a garbled, raspy groan as it tears itself free from his chest. “Wanna touch you. Get you off-”</p><p>Heat fists itself into Andrea’s gut. Forcing a deep, choked groan from his lips. He shoves himself up, crowding into the already cramped space. One knee shoved into the space between Cloud and the arm of the chair. Cloud’s legs shifting to catch hold of his hips, tugging him closer. Andrea groans, hands falling with desperate haste to tear at the button to his pants. Need making his hands tremble too hard, making him fumble. Growling in frustration, rolling into relief as he finally manages it. Andrea does little more than tug them down enough to free his length comfortably. Grunt as the air brushes too sensitive flesh. He sees Cloud reaching for him, catches his hand and tugs them both to curl around his throbbing erection.</p><p>The sound he makes at the touch is almost pained. His hand seizing tight around Cloud’s. Trapping those slender digits between his own as he immediately starts jerking himself off with them. Tight, rapid strokes that have him gasping and straining over Cloud in minutes. Length already slick with his own precum, which drips down to add to the mess already scattered across Cloud.</p><p>“Fuck- <em> fuck, </em> Cloud. I can’t believe- you really-” He can’t stop staring, stop talking. Mind looping over and over itself. The image seared deep into his mind. “God. God, you’re so good. So good. Perfect- so fucking perfect- I-”</p><p>Andrea catches Cloud’s lips, a tight searing kiss to stop his tongue from running away with him any farther. Chest aching with the sound that tries to tear itself free as orgasm wipes his mind clean. Leaving him a shuddering, gasping blank slate.</p><p>Andrea drags himself out of the fog, slowly. A part of him wanting to linger in the sweet haze. Cobbles himself back together, piece by jagged, sweetly aching piece. He thinks he’s shaking, but the sensation is lessened somewhat by a distant, but pleasant pressure slowly gliding along his back.</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Oh, he knows that touch. Knows those hands and their strong, but terribly gentle nature. Strange. Strange and silly, perhaps, that they make him feel so...</p><p>Safe.</p><p>“Cloud...” It doesn’t even surprise Andrea, that the other’s name is the first real thought to swim to the forefront of his mind. Nor does opening his eyes to watch Cloud’s face swim into focus. It doesn’t stop his heart from racing, stumbling over itself. Reaches up a faintly trembling hand to cup the side of Cloud’s face. Voice a breathless, ache in his chest. “Oh my Cloud. My darling Cloud...”</p><p>There’s a brush of warmth against the back of his neck. A tug. And between one slow, heated breath and the next Andrea’s lips sink into Cloud’s. Tender, careful brushes. Interspersed by quiet hums and gentle noises. He’s not sure which of them is making them- probably both, if he’s honest. It doesn’t matter either way. All that matters right now, in this moment, is being as close to Cloud as he can get. Sinking further down into him, not giving a single damn for the tacky, cooling, sticky mess between them.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t know if it’s minutes or hours that pass before his head finally screws itself on straight again. Pulling away from Cloud’s mouth, but not going far. Just shifting to press their foreheads together gently.</p><p>“We should clean up.” Andrea mumbles, sounding less than enthused about the idea to his own ears. Cloud hums, the sound almost an agreement, but he makes no move to actually get up. Neither does Andrea. Too busy feathering his lips across Cloud’s face. Too busy gazing into those still glowing eyes. Too busy enjoying the feeling of Cloud’s arms around him.</p><p>A low, tired chuckle rumbles out of Andrea’s chest. Cloud blink up at him, a flicker of confusion on his brow. But Andrea just shakes his head, leaning in to capture Cloud’s lips tenderly. Cloud’s well aware of what a mess Andrea is at this point. Even if he doesn’t realize it.</p><p>“You’re beautiful.” Andrea murmurs, brushing his nose against Cloud’s. Smiling as he stares down into surreal eyes. They roll and Andrea chuckles again. “I know. Sap.”</p><p>“’least you realize it.” Cloud says. A shadowy smile in the corner of his lips and a whisper of a genuine laugh beneath his words. Andrea’s heart turns over itself. Shivering and swelling with wonder and delight. Not caring that Cloud can probably feel it as the blond presses a hand to his chest. Gentle pressure and Andrea shifts back to let Cloud sit up. Those bright eyes glancing down at himself. His expression twists. “Uh. Okay, yeah. Shower’s a good idea.”</p><p>“Mm. Best hurry too. Wouldn’t do for us to be late.” Andrea says, standing up straight and stretching his faintly sore muscles.</p><p>“Hmm?” Cloud says, a furrow passing over his expression as he twists his spine and stretches his arms. Then his shoulders hitch, eyes blinking wide. “Oh- shit. Right. What time is it?”</p><p>Andrea shrugs, the motion casual. Not like he has a clock in the room and he doesn’t particularly feel like rooting around for his phone at the moment. “Mm. After five probably. Invite was for six thirty, right?”</p><p>“No idea. Come on.” Cloud says, an undercurrent of urgency to his voice as he gets to his feet, catching Andrea’s wrist as he passes and tugging the dancer towards the bathroom. Andrea chuckles good naturedly and follows along.</p><p>And yes, he does spend a majority of that short trip silently staring at the slim curve of Cloud’s ass. Teasing him from beneath the hem of that damn shirt. Gnawing distractedly at his lower lip, humming in his chest as he eyed still faintly irritated flesh. He wonders if Cloud would let him leave a mark-</p><p>Andrea ends up with the shirt being lobbed at his face, Cloud’s quiet, irate grumble telling Andrea to “Get a move on.” echoing off tile as the other steps into the shower. Andrea catches the shirt as it falls down, unashamedly burying his nose into the bright fabric. Breathing in a lungful of Cloud’s unique scent before he sets it on the counter, strips himself bare, and follows the other in.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Cutting it real close, Cloud.”</p><p>Marlene’s sweet, young voice bounces off the garage walls mere moments after they pull in. Echoing even over Fenrir’s engine before Cloud turns it off. The blond hums.</p><p>“Still not late though.”</p><p>“Hmph.” Marlene huffs and rolls her eyes, turning a smile towards him instead. “Hi Andi.”</p><p>“Good evening, Marlene dear. Thanks ever so for the invite.”</p><p>“You’re welcome.” She chimes, “Now come on! Hurry up, most everybody else is here already.”</p><p>With that, Marlene vanishes and as the door swings shut, Andrea catches the sound of voices. He recognizes Tifa’s, Marlene’s and Denzel’s. But there’s also quite a number of unfamiliar ones too.</p><p>“Everybody else?” Andrea asks, following Cloud as the other climbs down off the bike. Cloud hums, stripping off his gloves. Setting them and his goggles on the workbench.</p><p>“Yeah. She called in a few old friends of ours.”</p><p>“Sounds fun.” Andrea hasn’t really had the chance to be around people in a social setting since the spring show. And what’s more this is a group of Cloud’s people no less. It’s a funny feeling. Stirring up a strange mix of excitement and something almost like nerves.</p><p>“Hm. We’ll see how long that lasts.” Cloud says, a sigh in his voice as he stretches and scratches absently at the back of his neck. And yes, Andrea fully admits that he’s just as captivated by the ripple of muscle he can see beneath the tight fabric now as he has been ever time before this. Cloud glances back at him, something quietly surprised flickering through his expression when he meets Andrea’s eyes. But then he jerks his head towards the door leading into Seventh Heaven. “Gonna pop upstairs a minute. You can go join the ‘fun’.”</p><p>“Alright.” Andrea says with a smile. Cloud nods, but as he goes to reach for the doorknob, Andrea steps up. Catching Cloud’s wrist and gently pulling him around again. Lips to lips in a soft, but lingering touch. He knows he’s not going to get to do this for likely the rest of the evening- at least not while others are around. Andrea’s very well aware of Cloud’s aversion to more public displays of affection. Cloud indulges him, sweetly. Something flickering in his expression as they part.</p><p>“Okay?” He asks, voice soft, fingers threading gently through Andrea’s. The dancer smiles and hums, tucking at one of the longer strands of Cloud’s hair.</p><p>“Perfect.” Andrea replies, simply and evenly. Cloud’s expression shifts again. Something almost tender in the back of his eyes as he nods.</p><p>“’kay.”</p><p>Andrea let’s Cloud go, follows him out into the hall. Watches as he heads up the creaky stairs and vanishes into his room. Takes a breath and walks down the short hall to the doorway that leads into the bar proper.</p><p>The bar’s scattered through with people, not as many as Andrea’d assumed based on the volume. But he quickly realizes what they lack in numbers, they make up for in enthusiasm. Chatting and laughing, most of them already with drinks in hand. Marlene and Denzel are tucked up together in one of the booths, talking with a heavyset young man with kind eyes and a sweet smile. Across the room from them is Tifa and another man, older than the first though not by much. He’s sporting a red bandana, folded down to a headband. The color of it vibrant against his dark hair and twin to the one settled over the other young man’s head. They’re talking quietly among themselves, setting down stacks of plates, glasses and silverware across one of the table surfaces. Tifa looks up as they make their way over to the bar, smile brightening on her face as she waves at him.</p><p>“Hey, Andi. Glad you could make it.”</p><p>Andrea returns the smile easily, “I’m grateful for the invite.” He replies as Tifa slips through the divide, bustling behind the counter to start passing dish after dish of delicious looking food. Which the headband sporting man takes and starts to line up along the top of the counter carefully.</p><p>“It was all Marlene’s idea.” She says with a chuckle, waving him in, “Come on, don’t be a stranger.”</p><p>Andrea laughs and steps through the divide, taking the next bowl of food when the other man is still fussing with the last one. The man glances up, surprised, but with a kind smile.</p><p>“Heya. Name’s Biggs.” He says, offering a hand. Andrea takes it, shaking it firmly. The man’s got an impressive grip. A fighter, likely. Of some persuasion at least.</p><p>“Andrea, nice to meet you.”</p><p>“Likewise.” Biggs says, shuffling to the side to give Andrea room to help him set up the rest of the food. Tifa pauses as she hands them the next warm dish, glancing out over the room.</p><p>“Yuffie? You finished with that yet?”</p><p>He hadn’t spotted her at first, but there’s a triumphant cry from the corner of the room, by the jukebox and in sudden, ear ringing burst of music, a young woman leaps to her feet. She’s young, can’t be more than eighteen at best. Short cropped dark hair, with a black and white headband with tails that drape down her back. Her smile’s near blinding, even as she reaches over to turn the volume down to a slightly less ear bleeding volume after the chorus of protests that shoot up around the room.</p><p>“Sorry guys!” The girl chimes, in a way that all but screams she isn’t really. When she’s finished- Yuffie, is that what Tifa’d called her?- prances over towards the bar on light feet. Ah. Andrea recognizes that sneaky, quick footed stance. They have a thief in their midst, and quite a good one at that, given the way she carries herself. He chuckles to himself. How interesting. “Oh- who’re you?”</p><p>There’s a lot of people that probably would’ve taken Yuffie’s tone as rude and abrasive. Andrea’s not among them. He smiles at her and offers a hand,</p><p>“Andrea. I’m a friend of Cloud and Tifa’s.”</p><p>“Oh. Cool. Nice to meetcha. I’m the great ninja Yuffie!” She introduces herself with such flare and aplomb Andrea can only be impressed. She returns the handshake with enthusiasm before she hops up on one of the stools, rooting around in the bowl of chips nearby. Tifa rolls her vermilion eyes, but let’s her have at it as Yuffie starts chattering away at her. Tifa, being Tifa, listens and responds, but it’s clear Yuffie’s the sort to like the sound of her own voice more than actual conversation. Tifa glances over at Andrea with a smile.</p><p>“You want anything to drink Andi?”</p><p>“No right now.” He says, waving the offer off with a smile. “But thank you.”</p><p>Andrea wanders off across the room. Denzel perks up a little and waves to him. Andrea returns the gesture with a smile, though something pricks at the back of his head. Poor kid looks a little rough around the edges. The young man who’s sitting with him and Marlene glances over to Andrea as the dancer makes his way over.</p><p>“Andi, come sit with us!” Marlene chimes, patting the table next to them emphatically. Andrea chuckles and slips into the seat, offering a smile to the other man.</p><p>“As the lady wishes.” He replies easily. He offers a hand to the new face, but this one’s a little more skittish and hesitant to take it. Quiet in a way that reminds him a little of Cloud’s softer sides. Still, the bigger man takes it with a little half smile.</p><p>“Hey, I’m Wedge.”</p><p>“It’s very nice to meet you Wedge. I’m Andrea.”</p><p>“Andi’s a dancer and he’s <em> really </em>good at it.” Marlene volunteers and Andrea laughs at her enthusiasm.</p><p>“Oh wow, that’s really cool.” Wedge replies, absolutely sincere. Andrea smiles a little brighter.</p><p>“It has always been my calling.”</p><p>“Heh, mine’s food.” Wedge says, with a little bit of a sheepish, but proud glint to his eyes as he pats his stomach. “And cats.”</p><p>“Wedge was telling us about-”</p><p>“Ah! There you are!” Yuffie’s voice crashes through the room. Their little grouping looks up and over towards the bar. “You’ve been ignoring me mister!”</p><p>Cloud’s come back down from upstairs. He’s changed out the white shirt, traded it for a darker navy blue. A development that has Andrea mourning more than a little. Still, it’s probably a good thing. Cloud’s distracting enough as is, to be honest. Cloud rolls his pretty eyes, stepping through the divide.</p><p>“And that’s somehow new- hey!” Yuffie latches herself onto Cloud’s nearest arm like a leech. Cloud leans away, a disgruntled furrow on his brow. “Get off.”</p><p>“Nuh uh, Cloudy! Not until you play nice.”</p><p>Cloud sighs, a weary, but expectant exhaustion washing over his face as Yuffie starts chattering away. Talking so quick Andrea only gets the barest hint of the conversation. Something about Materia. Cloud makes a couple attempts to pull himself free, but they’re half hearted at best. It’s a surprisingly sweet dynamic. Cloud tolerates the attention for another minute or two before he presses a hand to Yuffie’s forehead and shoves. The girl yelps, stumbling since she’d rocked back on her heels to tug at him.</p><p>“Ugh, you’re such an ass!”</p><p>“Mm hmm.” Cloud hums noncommittally, dodging Yuffie next lunge with an absent wave over his shoulder. Yuffie actually pouts, stomping a petulant foot on the floor. Tifa pipes up the next moment, though whether it’s for Cloud’s sake or Yuffie’s is up for debate. Either way she gets the girl’s attention back on her.</p><p>Cloud wanders over towards them. Denzel lights up, as always, shuffling down on the bench so Cloud’ll sit beside him. Cloud’s got that soft expression in his eyes as he ruffles Denzel’s hair.</p><p>“Cloud, bro! How’ve you been? It’s been ages!” Wedge pipes up, smile wide and eyes bright as he looks at the blond. Cloud nods at him, expression even.</p><p>“Good. You?”</p><p>“Oh you know. Getting by. Keeping busy.” Wedge replies with a shrug. “Oh and Biggums finally had kittens.”</p><p>“I wanna go see them sometime. Can we Cloud?” Marlene asks immediately, weaponizing those deadly big eyes of hers. Cloud shrugs.</p><p>“If he’s okay with it.” Cloud says, to the happy exclamations of the kids.</p><p>“Oh yeah, totally. You’re gonna love ‘em. They’re so cute and small and-”</p><p>Wedge begins to regal the kids with stories of the, admittedly, adorable sounding kittens. Cloud clearly checks out of the conversation entirely, gaze drifting around the room. Denzel’s still unusually quiet. Huddling in close to Cloud. The blond let’s him. Not really acknowledging the odd behaviour, but not pushing the kid away either. It settles a little of the hovering worry that Andrea can admit is there.</p><p>Biggs comes over to join them too, clapping a hand on Cloud’s shoulder in a show of easy, familiar camaraderie. “Hey man.”</p><p>“Hey.”</p><p>“How’s that new mod holding up for ya?” Biggs asks, perching on the chair across the table from Cloud.</p><p>“Good. Thanks.”</p><p>“Sure thing. I admit I was surprised when you came by the station the other day. Everything cool?” Cloud hums, nodding absently. The other man shifts a little, leaning forward on his arms on the table. “You sure? Cuz you know you’ve always got an ear in-”</p><p>“Biggs.” Cloud cuts into the man’s rapid, rising voice. A firm touch of quiet, exasperated understanding to his voice. The other man blinks, then reaches up to scratch at the back of his head.</p><p>“Right. Right, sorry. I’m getting caught up again.”</p><p>“It’s cool. How’s the Watch been?”</p><p>Turns out that both Biggs and Wedge are rather prominent members of Edge’s hard working Watch crew. That they helped run a similar group back in Sector Seven. Andrea’s quietly pleased that his pegging of them both of fighters- though of a different calibre to Cloud of course- was right. Their conversation ambles along amicably. Darting to and from more light hearted subjects as they all get to know each other. </p><p>A few minutes in Cloud turns, glancing out one of the windows. Marlene lights up a moment later and jumps out of the booth, hurrying towards the front door. Andrea hears the sound of a vehicle rumbling to a stop outside.</p><p>“Barret here?” Tifa calls from where she and Yuffie have been chatting at the counter. Cloud nods as Marlene opens the door as an engine cuts off outside. The biggest, brightest smile on her face that Andrea’s ever seen.</p><p>“Daddy!” She calls, rushing out onto the steps. Not a moment later a loud, booming voice echoes back.</p><p>“Ha! There’s my angel girl! C’mere!”</p><p>A minute later a massive, hulking wall of a man edges into the bar. Marlene perched easily on little more than his forearm. Kicking her feet in the air as she grins at him. Her whole heart in her large dark eyes.</p><p>Given the scars on his face and the heavy set of his features, Andrea imagines the man can be rather intimidating if he wants to be. Especially given that his other arm isn’t an arm at all, but a massive, glinting machine gun.</p><p>But right now Andrea doesn’t think he’s ever seen anyone look as warm, soft and fond as Barret does listening to Marlene catch him up on things. Laughing as she chides him for being late.</p><p>“I’m sorry darlin’. Got caught up taking care of some things at the rig.”</p><p>“Well, I guess it’s okay. You’re here now.” Marlene says with a shrug, hugging Barret tight around the neck. The man smiles, eyes soft as he squeezes her to him.</p><p>“That’s right I am. And you got me for a whole week.” He shifts Marlene up so she can sit on his wide shoulder and turns a bright smile to the rest of the room. “Well now this is a party! How’s everybody doing?”</p><p>There’s a lively chorus of “Hey Barret.” and “Welcome back!”, all of which Barret returns with a hearty laugh.</p><p>“That everybody now, Marlene?” Tifa asks, getting up from her stool. The girl nods with a bright “Yep!”. Tifa smiles, returns the nod. “Alright, grab a plate and dig in before stuff gets cold!”</p><p>Tifa’s words are like a call to action, near everybody climbing to their feet to snag plates and utensils and filing in disorganized chaos towards the laden bar. Chatter and laughter in the warm air. Cloud nudges Denzel from his side.</p><p>“Go dish up, buddy.”</p><p>Denzel glances back at Cloud, a little furrow between his eyes. But the he sighs and nods with a muted “’kay.” Slipping down and inching over towards Marlene and her dad. Barrett sees him coming. Meets him with a grin and a strong hand against his shoulder.</p><p>“Is he okay?” Andrea asks quietly as Barret takes Denzel under his metaphorical wing. Cloud nods, that quietly worried tilt to his expression.</p><p>“Nightmare.”</p><p>“Poor kid.” Andrea remembers the night Cloud got called away because of one of Denzel’s bad nights. It hurts a little, to think the usually sweet, bright eyed young man is so off. Life isn’t easy in their world, never has been. But it’s sad to think that kids have to bear the brunt of that sometimes.</p><p>“He’ll be okay.” Cloud says, with a quiet, determined certainty to his voice. Andrea hums. Of that he has no doubt. Denzel’s strong, but it’s not only that. He knows there’s a hell of a lot of love and support for him in this odd little family.</p><p>The two of them wait until things have calmed down a little by the bar before they follow the crowd. Grabbing plates and heading for the buffet style meal. There’s an eclectic spread of things, all just as delicious looking as the last. Andrea piece meals himself a whole plateful of nearly everything there. After work and earlier with Cloud, he’s worked up quite a fierce appetite.</p><p>They end up with slightly different seating arrangements then before. Yuffie’s found a willing audience for her wild stories in Barrett, Marlene and Denzel as they settle in at the booths. Which leaves the rest of them to shove the taller, round tables close together in a sort of trinity for space.</p><p>They eat well. Talking and laughing among themselves. The food’s delicious and warm. A combined effort between Tifa, Wedge and Yuffie apparently. Compliments are handed out to each and every one of them from all corners. Including a few self congratulatory pats on the back. All of which are frankly very well deserved.</p><p>It’s probably a solid hour or so later that people stop wandering back to the counter to grab ‘just a bit more’ as they all tell themselves. Between the group of them, most things are all but licked clean. Biggs, Cloud and the kids more or less volunteer themselves for clean up duty. Biggs shows off his impressive affinity for the younger members of the party by making it into something of a game. Cloud doesn’t play along, of course, but he also doesn’t bow out. And Andrea’s learned that’s more or less his version of playing along anyway.</p><p>Andrea would join them, but Tifa’s got him ensnared in a conversation about some aesthetic upgrades she wants to give the bar. She has tons of super creative ideas, and Andrea’s happy to play a sounding board for them. Giving a little more defined shape to some of the more obscure ones. Barret joins their table soon too. Giving Tifa a tight hug before he settles into one of the chairs.</p><p>“I know you from somewhere, don’t I?” He rumbles, eyeing Andrea. The dancer smiles.</p><p>“We met briefly back in Midgar.” Andrea replies with a nod, “It’s Andrea.”</p><p>“Andi helped Cloud and I out of a couple tight spots back then.” Tifa chimes in, smiling at Andrea with that knowing light in her eyes. Andrea can’t help but chuckle at the distantly shared memory.</p><p>“Huh. Well, good to meet you then.” Barret extends a large hand and Andrea shakes it firmly. “Friend of Tifa and ol’ Spike’s is alright by me.”</p><p>“Glad to hear it.” Andrea says, nursing the drink Tifa made for him a while ago. Fruity and delicious. Perfectly cool for the warm, evening outside. Content to mostly listen as the others trade old stories and new moments. Learns a lot, even as a bystander to the memories. Like the fact Tifa, Biggs, Wedge and Barret all used to work together. As part of Avalanche, no less.</p><p>Yuffie’d apparently been a rather...unexpected addition to their band of companions. But Andrea can tell she’s just as much a part of the fire forged camaraderie that he’s seen between Cloud and Tifa. And Barret, too, of course, though he’s only known the man and the young woman for a few hours now. Hears a few names that spark memories of passing mentions Cloud’s made in the past.</p><p>Andrea cradles his hand on his fist, glancing over towards Cloud where the other’s busy scrubbing at the last of the dishes by the sink. Denzel perched by his elbow and Biggs and Marlene engaged in a playful fight with their damp dish rags. Yuffie ditches their table to go join in.</p><p>It doesn’t surprise him, really, to find that Cloud’s group of friends is as wide spread, mysterious and eclectic as the world beyond. He hopes he gets the chance to meet them all one day. Just as he hopes to one day get to explore the wide sprawl of Gaia beyond the steel walls that’ve housed him all his life.</p><p>Marlene drags Barret upstairs once clean up is done, talking to him excitedly about some school project or another. And about the fact they’re going to set up the foldout couch for Barret. Denzel tucks himself up in the booth by the window, sulking as he works to finish his homework. Yuffie heads over too, but when she proves to be far more of a distraction than actual help, Tifa pulls her away.</p><p>Something warm and content settles itself in Andrea when Cloud wanders over to take the seat next to him. Has to remind himself not to get too ‘touchy-feely’ as were, despite the pleasant warmth humming through him. A lovely combination of the evening. Of good food, drink and company. But when nobody else is paying attention, Andrea slips his hand under the table and catches the one Cloud has resting in his lap. The blond’s fingers twitch under his, bright eyes darting over towards him in a flicker of surprise. But he doesn’t pull away as Andrea lightly threads their fingers together.</p><p>“Anybody up for a round of darts?” Wedge pipes up after a few minutes, when there’s a lull in conversation. It turns out they all are, though with varying levels of enthusiasm. Tifa very emphatically suggests they break into teams of three and not so subtly suggests that Andrea join her and Biggs.</p><p>“Just. Trust me. It’s for the best.” Tifa says as she digs out a fresh score sheet and pins it to the board. Andrea doesn’t argue with her, doesn’t see a reason to and joins her and Biggs at the table as Yuffie, Cloud and Wedge debate turn order in their trio. Somehow Andrea’s not surprised in the least when Yuffie takes the first throw.</p><p>And he very, <em> very </em> quickly understands exactly why Tifa preemptively pulled him out of that situation. Because good <em> god </em> , the other three are incredibly, intensely competitive. Very evenly matched in their skills to boot. Borderline vicious if he’s being perfectly honest. And he can’t say he’s surprised about it from Yuffie or even Cloud. It’s <em> Wedge </em> who shocks Andrea. He’s not vocal, or mean spirited about it. He’s as much a teddy bear as his appearance suggests. But he <em> is </em> calculating and has incredible aim to back it up.</p><p>He doesn’t think the, uh, <em> helpful </em> commentary from himself, Tifa and Biggs at all helps the competitive spirits of the other three. Especially when Marlene and Barret come downstairs again. Barret grumbles about not being called down sooner to join the fun. But he settles in and turns their trio into a quartet peacefully enough. Though honestly, with how much fun they’re all having goading on the others, Andrea’s not even sure that they’ll make it to their rounds.</p><p>Andrea can’t say he’ll mind much if that turns out to be the case. He’s never going to complain about a chance to ogle Cloud’s ridiculously gorgeous arms.</p><p>“<em> Yeeessss </em>!” Yuffie shouts, throwing her arms into the air. To be fair her enthusiasm is well earned, having cleared her score in only six darts.</p><p>“Wow, that was a great shot.” Wedge says, applauding the young woman Yuffie spins around, striking a dramatic, self important pose.</p><p>“Haha! That’s what you get! Going up against <em> me- </em>”</p><p>“Keep it down.” Cloud says, voice sharp yet quiet.</p><p>“Oh come on Cloudy. Don’t be a sore loser-”</p><p>“Yuffie, can it. Kid’s sleeping.” Barret cuts in as Cloud rolls his eyes and pushes himself up from his lean against the wall. They all glance over towards the corner. Andrea’s heart melts a bit when they land on Denzel. Tucked up in the booth, head on his arms folded on the tabletop.</p><p>“Awww...” Wedge murmurs, soft as he voices what they’re all surely thinking. Tifa sighs from her seat by Andrea. Something relieved and simultaneously worried in the sound.</p><p>“I got him.” Cloud says, pressing a hand to Tifa’s shoulder as she goes to rise. Andrea turns to watch as Cloud crosses the floor to Denzel. Kneeling down in front of him and reaching out to shake his shoulder gently. The boy’s eyes flutter as he groans, cracking open to peer out at Cloud. “Hey buddy. Come on.”</p><p>With a sigh, Denzel sits up, stretching as Cloud tidy's up his things scattered across the table. Slipping down from the seat, Cloud gives him a nudge between the shoulders and the two of them start across the bar. Tifa reaches out, resting a hand on Denzel’s arm, squeezing gently as they pass.</p><p>“Good night Denzel.”</p><p>Her words prompt a chorus of echoing sentiments from all the rest of them too. Enough to eek out a hint of a sleepy smile on the boy’s tired face. Then he and Cloud vanish into the house proper with little more than a creak of stairs.</p><p>“Well I hate to eat, play and run, but I gotta get back to check on Biggums and the kids.” Wedge pipes up in the quiet, patting his stomach with a sheepish smile. The others’s laugh and Biggs elbows his side with a teasing smile.</p><p>“Sure, sure. You just wanna cut your losses.” Biggs says, pushing to his feet. “I’ll walk with you, man. I got work early tomorrow.”</p><p>“Ugh! You guys are such spoilsports.” Yuffie whines, “Well if things are quieting down here then I’m gonna ditch and find somewhere to have some <em> real </em> fun.”</p><p>Barret, Marlene and Tifa head out to see their old friends off. Andrea uses the chance to slip away to find the restroom upstairs. As he hits the landing outside Cloud’s room, Andrea notices that Denzel and Marlene’s room door is still open. Can hear the soft murmur of voices from within.</p><p>“Hey Cloud?” Cloud answers the boy with a quiet hum. There’s a shuffle, then Denzel’s voice echoes a little clearer than before. There’s something curious in his tone. “...Is that why you spend so much time with Andi?”</p><p>“No.” Cloud’s voice is sweetly sharp. Edged in a hint of caution and embarrassment. “No that’s. Different.”</p><p>Andrea’s chest goes tight, eyes widening. He can picture the look on Cloud’s face. The furrow of his brow. Eyes narrowed and cast aside as he fights himself for words. Holds his breath, hands flexing at his sides as he waits. Listens.</p><p>“Cuz he’s your... friend?” There’s a weight to the word as Denzel says it. Something a touch hesitant. Andrea can’t help the half smile that threatens his face. Smart kid- but that’s not a surprise.</p><p>“I- yeah.” There’s a faint creak in the room. The squeak of springs. Another pause. Maybe a handful of moments, but it stretches on into eternity. On and on, something in Andrea pulling tight. “I. Like spending time with him.”</p><p>“Mm. He’s nice.” Denzel says, a yawn in his voice. Cloud makes a quiet noise, something like a smile to the lilt of his quiet voice.</p><p>“Yeah. Yeah he is.”</p><p>“Aw man.” There’s a groan to Denzel’s words. “I didn’t ask him about the ranch.”</p><p>“Tomorrow’s another day. Get some sleep.”</p><p>“Okay...” The words a sigh, and not a particularly agreeable one. There’s a sound of voices downstairs as the others come back in. “Night Cloud.”</p><p>“G’night Denzel.”</p><p>The next moment Cloud slips out of the room. Closing the door with a click, underscoring the soft sigh that sinks Cloud’s shoulders. Eyes bright in the soft darkness as he turns to look at Andrea. Surprise flickers across his expression.</p><p>“Andrea.”</p><p>“Hey, sorry. I was just looking for the restroom.”</p><p>“Oh.” Cloud says, stepping to the side and pointing to the door on his right. “Here. Probably wanna hurry. Sure everybody else is gonna be turning in soon.”</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>Cloud nods, silent and slips back downstairs. Andrea follows in his wake once he’s finished up. Sure enough, he hugs the wall as Barret and Marlene head upstairs themselves. The girl babbling sleepily at her father, who’s watching her with those bright, loving eyes. But she takes a moment to wave at Andrea as they pass.</p><p>“Night Andi.”</p><p>“Goodnight Marlene. Thanks again for inviting me over.”</p><p>“Sure!” She says, scampering away to slip into her room. Andrea gives Barret a nod as the other looks back at him.</p><p>“Nice to meet you Barret.”</p><p>“Likewise. I’m sure we’ll see you around.”</p><p>“Absolutely.” Andrea replies, returning the other man’s wave as he ducks back into the bar. Tifa and Cloud are there, talking quietly among themselves. Cloud’s casually warding off Tifa’s attempts to help him wash up the few glasses left from their guests.</p><p>“Cloud...” Tifa says, a touch of annoyance in her voice. He just shrugs his shoulders, going about his business.</p><p>“You did enough today.” He replies. “Take a load off.”</p><p>“That’s funny, coming from you.”</p><p>“Then you know I mean it.”</p><p>“True.” Tifa says, smiling as she shifts to settle on one of the stools. She looks over at Andrea. “Andi, save me. He’s being stubborn.”</p><p>“And you think I can change that?” Andrea replies with a laugh, taking the seat to her right.</p><p>“Nope. But you’ll be willing to have a real conversation.”</p><p>“Ouch.” Cloud says, deadpan and uncaring as he twists the rag a little deeper into the glass in his hand, scrubbing carefully along the bottom edge. Tifa and Andrea both chuckle and there’s a hint of Cloud's shadowy smile in his eyes even as he turns away from them to grab a drying cloth.</p><p>Stubborn indeed.</p><p>The two of them fall easily back into their earlier conversation. Easier now in the quiet for Tifa to point out the specifics of what they’d been discussing. Like reupholstering the stools and maybe adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls. Cloud doesn’t join in on the talks much. Offering vague opinions if they directly ask him. But Andrea realizes that Cloud treats the bar as largely ‘Tifa’s space’ and doesn’t think it’s his place to comment on it.</p><p>“I’m just here as the muscle.” As he puts it.</p><p>The clock has ticked well past eleven by the time Tifa finally gets up, stretching long and luxurious. Cloud assures her that he’ll lock down and Tifa thanks him with a warm, tired smile. She bids them both a good night and slips away upstairs with a gentle creak of wood. There’s a click of a door upstairs and then Cloud turns to face Andrea from his spot beside the dancer.</p><p>“You wanna crash here? It’s pretty late.”</p><p>Andrea blinks, bright surprise flickering inside him. “That’d be alright with you?”</p><p>“Wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t.”</p><p>Fair enough Andrea thinks. He knows Cloud doesn’t make those kinds of offers without meaning. Doesn’t stop the warm, rush of blooming fondness from washing through his chest. Twisting soft around his heart. He smiles.</p><p>“Well, I do have work in the morning. But if you don't mind giving me a lift...?”</p><p>“I don’t.” Cloud says simply, a faint shrug of his shoulders that just makes Andrea’s smile brighter.</p><p>“Then I’d love to.”</p><p>Cloud nods and gets up. Circling through the room, closing the blinds and locking the door. Routine and thoughtless, he’s beckoning Andrea back upstairs in a matter of minutes, flicking off the light behind them.</p><p>They tip toe across the landing carefully, Andrea’s heart melting a little when he spies Marlene snuggled down beside Barret on the futon. Cloud ushers him into the bathroom and disappears for a minute or two. Reappearing with a set of comfortable night clothes.</p><p>“Keep ‘em handy in case anybody stops by.” Cloud explains as he passes them over, “There’s extra toothbrushes and stuff in that drawer too.”</p><p>Turns out they keep a little of everything on hand. ‘Just in case.’. They dance around each other getting ready for the night, before heading into Cloud’s room. Cloud heads over to his desk, flicking on the lamp so they have a bit of light to see by. Andrea leans back against the door, letting it close with a gentle click. He tilts his head as Cloud straightens and turns back to him.</p><p>“You know, it’s going to be rather hard to hide this from everyone in the morning.” Andrea says, voice light. But he can admit there’s a small kernel of worry lodged in his chest. But to his surprise, Cloud blinks at him, eyes narrowing.</p><p>“Why would I?” Cloud asks, low voice tinted with confusion. Then his expression flickers, furrow side stepping into something worried. “...Do you?”</p><p>“No. No, of course not. I just thought...” Andrea’s own expression twists into something wry. Really, hadn’t he learned by now, about assuming things with Cloud? “I suppose I assumed you did.”</p><p>“...Sorry.” Cloud whispers, shoulders going tense. Eyes dropping to the floor.</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea’s heart aches and he crosses the few steps between them quickly. “There’s nothing to apologize for, sweetheart. We’re still figuring everything out. And that’s okay.”</p><p>“’m not...” Cloud starts. But stops. Jaw working anxiously for a moment. Then he lets out a breath and looks up at Andrea. That fierce, determined light in the depths of his eyes. “I’m not <em> ashamed </em> of you though. You know that, right?”</p><p>“I do.” Andrea soothes, reaching out to brush Cloud’s cheek softly with the back of his fingers. “But I also know we haven’t actually settled on anything yet either. About what this is, I mean. Besides us being...well. <em> Us </em>, of course.”</p><p>Andrea’s not in a hurry to slap a label on their connection either. Because he still doesn’t know how he’d quantify it. ‘Boyfriends’ as Claude had put it was cute, sure. But it doesn’t fit right. Nothing he can think of off the top of his head seems to either. Lovers is a no go, because Andrea’s attraction to Cloud goes so far beyond the physical pleasures they share. Partners sits a little closer to the truth, perhaps. Even so, it still carries an odd, almost too heavy weight.</p><p>“Oh...” Cloud says, something flickering behind his eyes. A furrow picking itself out along his brow as his eyes dart away towards the window.</p><p>“That’s not a problem, either.” Andrea says, seeing the quietly, creeping tension flickering at the edge of Cloud’s expression. Shadowing the brightness of his gaze. Andrea shifts to curl his hand against Cloud’s chin, gently tipping his head to catch his gaze properly. “I just know people. And they like to talk.”</p><p>That kind of thing rolls off of Andrea’s shoulders like water. But he knows Cloud better than that. Indifferent though he might seem to the world at large, Andrea’s seen just how deeply the callous assumptions of others can cut him.</p><p>“Hm. Yeah.”</p><p>Andrea takes a step closer, reaching his other hand up to curl against the other side of Cloud’s face. Smiling down into those beautiful eyes.</p><p>“I don’t think either of us need to bend to the rules, as it were. Doesn’t sound like our ‘normal’ anyway. So personally I say fuck them.” Cloud gapes a little at him and Andrea chuckles. “This isn’t anyone's business but ours. I, for one, don’t need a label for this.”</p><p>“Andrea...” Cloud’s eyes dart between his for a moment. Then he bites the edge of his lips, gnawing absently at the skin. “In this together, right?”</p><p>“That’s right.”</p><p>“I should explain things to the kids at least, I guess. Tifa’s tried, but it’s not her responsibility.” Cloud’s expression darkens a touch. “And Denzel’s been...worried. That I’m not around as much.”</p><p>Ah. That must’ve been the tail end of the conversation he’d caught earlier. His chest aches a little as Andrea brushes a thumb along Cloud’s cheekbone. “They care about you. A lot.”</p><p>“Mm. I know. ‘s why I owe them that much.” Cloud nods to himself, eyes brightening. He hovers for a moment, then his hands reach to settle on Andrea’s waist gently. His attention flicks up to Andrea’s face. “That doesn’t sound bad.”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea blinks and tips his head.</p><p>“Being together, I mean. If anyone asks.”</p><p>Andrea mulls it over. It’s not a label, necessarily. But perhaps it’s better for that. If only for its simplicity and the way it’s true. He smiles, leaning in to rest his forehead against Cloud’s gently.</p><p>“Okay. I like the sound of it too.”</p><p>Cloud hums, tipping his head. Lips brushing against Andrea’s gently. Andrea pulls him closer, sighing as Cloud's arms wind around his waist. The warmth of his skin bleeding through the material of Andrea’s shift. Comfortable and familiar. But Andrea still moves closer. Seeking more. Seeking the press of Cloud’s body against his, though it’s only been a few hours.</p><p>It’s a little like an addiction Andrea supposes. Something amused fluttering through his stomach. But one he’s rather loath to think of giving up.</p><p>Cloud shifts before him, lips still skating gently across his. Thoughtless, but comforting presses as they shift around. A step or two, Cloud pulling away from him briefly. Then with the quiet groan of springs, they fall. A controlled tumble down onto the surface of the mattress.</p><p>Andrea catches himself, forearms braced by Cloud’s head as he pulls back to look down at him. The low lamplight catching in his feathery hair. Beautiful eyes lidded and warm as he gazes up at the dancer.</p><p>“Sure there’s room for two up here?” Andrea asks, glancing at the mattress. Cloud hums, nodding. Something small and sharp nestled in the corner of his lips.</p><p>“Figured you wouldn’t complain. You know, since you’re a cuddler.”</p><p>“Oh? Is that so?”</p><p>“Mmm hmm.”</p><p>“Well my dear, I’m afraid you’re absolutely right about that.” Andrea replies with a grin, lifting himself off Cloud with a little reluctance, tipping his chin towards the wall. “Scoot.”</p><p>Cloud rolls his eyes, but sits up and snags the pillow from the other end of the bed as Andrea flicks off the lamp and crawls back onto the bed besides him. With some careful shifting and tugging, Andrea ends up quite happily beneath Cloud. The majority of the blond’s weight settled comfortably against him. It’s Andrea's turn to hug his arms around Cloud, gliding his hands up and down the lithe planes of Cloud’s back slowly. Cloud crosses his over the dancer’s chest, chin resting on his forearms.</p><p>“You good?” Cloud asks, voice as soft as the night around. Quiet even as the faint rumble echoes through Andrea’s chest pleasantly. Andrea smiles, squeezing the other a touch closer. Tangling their legs a little more.</p><p>“Absolutely perfect.” Andrea replies in a murmur, smiling as Cloud shifts against him. Leaning up to kiss him again gently. Andrea slides one hand further up, curling it against the back of Cloud’s head. Toying with the wild, soft strands. “Just like you, my darling Cloud.”</p><p>“Shut up.” Cloud grumbles.</p><p>“Do you believe me?”</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>“Then I’m afraid I can’t do that, lovely.” Andrea says, unable to stop himself from grinning as Cloud’s lovely eyes roll and he scoots back down to bury his face into the curve of Andrea’s neck. Andrea hugs him tight for a moment, arm falling to curl around Cloud’s shoulders instead. “Good night beautiful. Sleep well.”</p><p>“You too, Andrea.” Cloud mutters, voice low. But Andrea can feel a little more of his weight sink against him as Cloud finally relaxes. Andrea ducks his head, pressing his lips briefly to the crown of Cloud’s head. He doesn’t think that’ll be too hard. With Cloud warm, sweet and safe in his arms for another night.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>"Still alive." quoth I from Cloud.</p><p>So. This one took a long, long, LONG time. Largely because my mental health took a nosedive into the pits of depression the last...shit. Two weeks now, I guess it's been. Wow. Crazy. Also crazy that this fic's now two months old. They grow up so fast.</p><p>Okay, but seriously, I do need to take a minute here and genuinely thank you all. Things got pretty dark in my head and I honestly considered just...stopping this whole thing. Deleting it and tossing it out. And I honestly don't know why. But it went through my head more than a couple times. </p><p>But I didn't go through with it- obviously. And the biggest reason for that is all of you. Your comments and just the general love you've shown this story kept my head above the water while I got my shit sorted. That's also why I haven't responded to them yet. Because opening my inbox to see those numbers there- to see something...'real' I guess to show my f*cked up head really helped. But I will go back and reply soon- I just didn't want to with the head space I was in. It felt wrong and disingenuous to you all.</p><p>I promise this isn't like a...call for help or anything. Or to make anyone feel bad- not at all. Especially if you're one of my lovely lurkers. I never want people to feel 'obligated' to comment or anything silly like that. If you want to great! If not that's just as fine. I just wanted to express what happened and...explain myself, I guess?</p><p>Anyway, so. When I say that you all are my bright spot, I mean it. And that goes for all of you- not just the darlings who take a moment to comment on this silly thing- but literally ALL of you, dear readers. I mean it. I really, really do. Whole heartedly, 100%. So thank you. From the bottom of my blackened heart.</p><p>My b-day's on the 30th here so next chapter probably won't be up till after that. But we'll see. Thanks again, I love you all and I hope you enjoyed. </p><p>Also, I realize I haven't done this before, but if anybody wants to contact me or whatever, I've got a Twitter and Tumblr account where you can do just that. Not active much, 'specially on Twitter, but I do check both daily. So, feel free:</p><p>Twitter: @lunae_izunia</p><p>Tumblr: moonlightpastime</p><p>So feel free to shoot me messages and such: like the ever lovely neon who gifted us with another playlist! (Thank you!!!)</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrSrItxzBjzCeq42RRYYuoWI5JaLZ1ZXX</p><p>If you read this stuff through, thanks. &lt;3&lt;3&lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. New Day Dawning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Avasti is incredible and so are all of you. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all the love last chapter ❤️❤️❤️</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The darkness around him is cool, toeing the line of discomfort. Andrea’s been here enough times to know what happens next. Or at least have a pretty good idea. These ‘dreams’ of his lately all follow similar patterns, even if they never play out identically. But there’s something of a pattern to them. The colors for one. The strange, whispering sound that could almost be a voice, but never is. The oddly familiar thunder-like roar in the distance. The hollow ache in his chest. Something foreboding pricking at his spine through the haze of nothingness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like clockwork, the whispering almost-voice rings out from the darkness. Drifting past his ears as though it’s being carried on some invisible wind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...</span>
  <em>
    <span>return...to...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea looks down and the shadows at his feet twist. Rippling out like water. Beneath it he sees the flashes of color. Glinting silver and dark gunmetal grey. Pale gold and red, red, </span>
  <em>
    <span>red</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Dark and vibrant in a horribly fascinating way. Like a warning, like blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>...hurry</span>
  </em>
  <span>...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-</span>
  <em>
    <span>ea</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How strange. That one almost sounded like an actual voice. Still distantly familiar, but in a way a little closer to the forefront of his mind. The darkness edges closer. Closer and closer. A wall of oppressive shadow so thick it nearly has physical presence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Andr-</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another almost audible whisper of sound. But it’s overtaken in a sudden, tearing roar. A thunderstorm underscored by something that sounds like a </span>
  <em>
    <span>scream</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hairs on the back of Andrea’s neck rise, distantly aware of the fact his heart’s begun to race. It’s such a strange feeling. Not fear, not quite. But something that hovers on the edge of it. Shapeless as the flashes of color and sound flickering through the veil. They’ve been growing a little clearer as the nights go on. Tonight that strange acid green flickers brightest, like a distant star. Vivid and so familiar he can taste the name of it on the tip of his tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea wonders if he could get his lead weighted limbs to move, if he could reach out. Sink his fingers into the shadowy wall. It seems so thin at the moment. Like gossamer moth wings. If he could just-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Andrea- wake up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s eyes shoot open with a muted gasp. Torn from the dream by a quiet, forceful voice, a shake to his shoulder. Cloud’s room is still dark, night time hanging heavy in the air. But even that darkness is lighter than the absolute void of the dream. He can see the glow of Cloud’s eyes but not much else, from where the other is hovering over him. Those lovely eyes narrowed and concerned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cloud...” The name escapes him in a rough whisper of breath. Andrea can feel the remnants of the dream fading fast as candlelight in a strong wind. Slipping away to those irritating spider web wisps. But even so Andrea catches one by some miracle. And in doing so, feels a click in the back of his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh that’s why that strange green shade seems so familiar. It’s Mako. And not just Mako, but the ring of it that sits heavy around Cloud’s pupils. Bright and otherworldly. He has no idea how he hadn’t recognized it before, with how often he finds himself lost in their depths. He chalks it up to waking up to them, the parallel all too easy to draw then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But even as he ponders it, something unnerving trickles down Andrea’s spine. A sharp spike of ice needling at his nerves. Because while the color may be the same, Andrea’s always found the one in his dreams to be much...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s mind whispers that he’s seen that cold light in Cloud’s before. Most clearly during that heart stopping moment the last time they woke up before dawn. Andrea pushes down the unease as Cloud squeezes his shoulder. The heat and pressure of his touch grounding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well there’s a million gil question. One Andrea’s not quite sure how to answer. Because on one hand, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> fine. It’s just dreams after all, strange and unnerving though they might be. But they’ve also been cutting into his sleep. Leaving him unbalanced in their wake. And this one especially so. That horrible, echoing cry still ringing through his ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clearly he’s quiet for too long. Trying to wade through his thoughts. Find something coherent. Because Cloud shifts over him further. Hand skating up the side of Andrea’s neck to curl against his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Andrea, what’s wrong?” There’s a level of genuine concern in Cloud’s tone. To the press of his hand. Makes Andrea realize he’s trembling. Heart racing painful in his chest. A tightness there that makes it hard to breathe around now his attention has been turned to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t know why, but a sudden, inexplicable urge rears its head inside him. Doesn’t realize he’s reached for Cloud until he hears the faint, surprised gasp Cloud gives. Hands framing Cloud’s ears, holding tight as Andrea pulls him close. The warmth of his breath brushing against Andrea’s skin makes his own shudder out of his lungs. Slow and shaking. Enough to release some of the strange pressure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Andrea-”</span>
</p><p><span>“A moment. Just-” The words tear themselves ragged from his lips. The first thing, the</span><em><span> only</span></em><span> thing he can manage.</span> <span>“Give me a moment.”</span></p><p>
  <span>“...Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud acquiesces both to Andrea’s request and the pull of his hands. Folding over him and settling with their foreheads resting together. There’s a gentle brush just under his eye, the callus of Cloud’s thumb rough against his skin. But it’s real. Like the worn silk of Cloud’s sleep mussed hair between his fingers and the warmth of his skin. Pulls Andrea free from the lingering, disconcerting shadows.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Andrea thinks, staring into Cloud’s eyes. Sees the growing concern in them. Closes his own and draws in a careful breath. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Get it together Andi</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s no reason for this. Already the dream has faded out and down. Nothing but a foggy haze. Nothing more than the usual, irritating sense of </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrongness</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He pushes it back. Back and back until he can take a breath that doesn’t shake. That he stops clutching at Cloud so desperately. Let’s Cloud shift back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t gotta apologize.” There’s a gentle, heartbreaking kind of empathy in Cloud’s eyes and voice as he continues after a moment. “Nightmare?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If only.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Andrea thinks with a sigh. “No. Just a bit of strangeness really.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wanna talk about it?” There’s a careful kind of hesitation to Cloud’s voice. It takes a moment for Andrea’s still sleep hazed mind to recognize what it is. It’s not that Cloud’s asking with any sort of insincerity. But rather that he’s trying not to pry. To push in case the answers no.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s sweet and makes Andrea’s melt a little. A half smile flickering to life on his face. Catches Cloud’s hand and laces their fingers. Tugging it closer to press his lips to the back of each of Cloud’s fingers one at a time. Lingering against warm skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud indulges him, but Andrea can feel the weight of his gaze. Careful and considering. Feels Cloud shift a little, sees the shadowy outline of his head tilt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it...like what happened the other day? Back at the church?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surprise flickers bright through Andrea’s chest. Startling a chuckle from him. Count on Cloud to remember that of all things. The threads of that conversation left hanging dead in the wind. Not that Andrea thinks he has much life to breathe into them right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I suppose it is. Still a bunch of vague nonsense, though. So I don’t think there’s really anything </span>
  <em>
    <span>to</span>
  </em>
  <span> talk about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s silhouette nods. A hum in the night shadows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If that changes, ‘m listening.” Andrea doesn’t even need to see his face properly, to know Cloud’s got that adorable, stubborn frown on. Can hear it in the quiet strength of his words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Cloud.” Andrea says, voice soft and full of warm sincerity. The other hums absently, eyes still tinged with that quiet concern. and something lodges in the back of Andrea’s throat. Tight and burning faintly. God, sometimes it really hits Andrea between the ribs, how damn lucky he is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I kiss you?” Andrea asks, smiling at the predictable roll of those beautiful eyes. His only real light in the darkness. Right now it’s the only one he needs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud leans in, a largely formless, dark shadow in the room. His lips find Andrea’s with only a touch of hesitance and surprisingly accurate given the dark around them. It doesn’t surprise him to find night vision- at least of a kind- to be part of a SOLDIER’s vast repertoire of abilities. Andrea’s certainly not complaining about it as he presses back into Cloud’s touch with a soft sigh. It’s enough to start pushing back against the lingering unease.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But what’s left of it spurs Andrea on. Pushing at him to touch the other, to pull him closer. Whispers he can actually understand this time. His mind abuzz, urging him to keep Cloud near. He listens almost without thought. It’s not like he’s going to deny his own desires to have the other close. Especially when Cloud’s apparently amiable to the idea. His weight sinking down against Andrea again carefully. Familiar and warm. Lips still gently brushing against his. Shifting between almost teasing caresses and long, lingering presses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whatever nameless, faceless, shapeless fear that’d lodged itself in Andrea’s mind eases. It’s enough. Enough just to have Cloud near. To have him here in this moment. In that way, Cloud always seems to be just what he needs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not something Andrea can bring himself to complain about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a touch of heaviness to both of their breaths as they part for longer than a breath or a heartbeat. Andrea’s got his fingers curled in Cloud’s shirt. Cloud’s resting against his chest. One over his heart and the weight of it is...comfortable. Grounding. Andrea slides one of his up, curling it against the line of Cloud’s jaw. Cradling him. Cloud stays close. That quiet, intent concern still lingering in the back of his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room’s slowly starting to lighten around them by the time Andrea can make himself pull back long enough to pay attention. Darkness giving way to softer, blue-grey predawn. Andrea huffs a quiet laugh. The blond makes a low noise, a question in the sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m worried we’re starting to make a habit of this.” The dancer replies, jerking his chin towards the growing brightness. Toying with the messy spikes hanging around Cloud’s face. “Up before the sun again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud hums. A weary, but amused light in his gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks that way.” Cloud’s eyes drop a moment, darting across empty air before he glances back at Andrea. “Want me to take you home?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea blinks, arches a brow. Glances over towards the door. “Everyone’s still asleep, aren’t they?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably.” Cloud says with a shrug. “But I can get us out of here, if you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a genuine offer. Andrea knows it is. And he knows that when the sun comes up, properly, that life will go on and he’ll have to go anyway. But right now Andrea isn’t ready for that. It’ll come too soon as is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not yet.” Andrea replies, shaking his head. Cloud nods, the motion absent, and goes to move. He’d ended up straddling Andrea’s waist earlier. But Andrea stops him, resting a hand against his side, pulling him back. Cloud blinks down at him, eyes wide as he hums a soft, questioning noise. Andrea smiles at him, arching a brow. Something plaintive to the curve of his smile. “Stay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dream might have faded now, the unease largely gone, but Andrea still has the urge to keep Cloud close hovering just behind his heart. Brushing against his nerves like sparks in time to the gentle strokes of his fingers against sharp hipbones. Andrea’s not really sure what exactly his expression is doing. But whatever it is, it’s apparently enough to kick up that stormy worry in Cloud’s eyes again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a tiny furrow picked out on his brow, Cloud settles his weight back against Andrea again. Hesitating in that painful way of his before he reaches out, fingertips brushing Andrea’s cheek, settling against his jaw after a moment. But he doesn’t speak, just watches Andrea. Silent and intent. This silence is an odd one, tickles at Andrea’s skin like running his hand the wrong way up velvet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cloud...?” Andrea tips his head, a furrow picking itself out across his brow. Cloud’s acting...odd. Off. In a way Andrea can’t quite put his finger on. But there’s something shadowy like </span>
  <em>
    <span>guilt</span>
  </em>
  <span> behind his eyes. “Sweetheart, what’s the matter?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...” Cloud starts and stops just as quick. Biting at the edge of his lips, furrow deepening a little. Then he shakes his head, the movement a touch listless. Shoulders sinking with a low sigh. When he manages to meet Andrea’s gaze again, there’s something strange and too bright in it. “I don’t- what can I do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do?” Andrea asks, light, but full of confusion. Unable to parse whatever it is Cloud means. The blond shifts, something almost uncomfortable twisting behind his expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To. To help, or whatever.” There’s a self deprecating twist to Cloud’s mouth. Too sharp and too brittle. Oddly fragile in the predawn light. When he speaks again it’s almost to himself. “Think I’d be an expert by now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The words, the way Cloud says them, just as sharp and fragile at the turn of his smile, needles at Andrea’s heart. Like a dozen tiny pin pricks. Digging a little deeper when Cloud’s eyes turn to his again. And there’s something buried inside them. Something like desperation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what can I do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cloud.” Andrea breathes, hand skating up Cloud’s body to curl against his face. God, of all the places for their contradictions and opposites to line up, why does it have to be in this? Because Andrea more than recognizes that particular brand of helpless need. Knows the feeling of it intimately. Has felt it’s keen sting more than a few times in direct relation to the man before him. A need to do something, to </span>
  <em>
    <span>fix</span>
  </em>
  <span> a problem in whatever way one can. “You don’t need to </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One of Cloud’s hands reaches, curls around his wrist, fingertips to Andrea’s pulse. His expression flickers, but the furrow stays firmly between his eyes. So easy to see that he doesn’t believe that for a moment. Andrea’s heart shivers a little beneath the weight of those eyes. Beneath the look in them. Such a strange thing, to be worried about in such a way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sweetheart, it’s alright. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>alright. I promise.” The focus in Cloud’s eyes breaks under a wash of surprise. Flickering bright behind those lovely eyes. Andrea moves, pushing himself to sit up. Cloud lets go of his wrist and shuffles back, but Andrea doesn’t let him go far. One hand catching his upper arm, tugging at him gently. “Come here, please?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud hesitates, the look on his face sweet and worried and it makes Andrea’s heart ache fiercely. But after a moment of internal debate Cloud finally folds. Weight settling back across Andrea’s legs. There’s a glancing brush to his chest before Cloud’s hands settle against his shoulders. The dancer hums, sliding his hand up to brush a thumb against Cloud’s cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is all I want. You- just you. Just to have you close.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“’m not going anywhere.” Cloud says the words simply, something of that stubborn lilt to his voice and his face. But they pluck at something deep inside Andrea. A resounding vibration that nearly makes him shiver as it spreads all throughout him. Drags a genuine smile out from within him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad to hear it.” He murmurs, tipping his head and meets Cloud part way as the other leans in to press their lips together. There’s a hint of caution in Cloud. One that Andrea counteracts by sliding his other hand around Cloud’s back. Pressing to pull him in. Cloud lets him, shifting to curl his arms around Andrea’s neck. Body flush to the dancer’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Close and warm and perfect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud hums, one hand curling against the curve of Andrea’s head. Holding tight as the dancer slants their mouths tighter together. Runs his tongue along Cloud’s in a slow, slick slide. There’s a muffled gasp in the back of his throat. Cloud tugs at him, arching over him a little further. The motion drags his hips against Andrea’s stomach. Heat trips through Andrea’s veins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit- sorry.” Cloud says, pulling away, expression twisting. Andrea blinks, frowning slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm? Whatever for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- You just woke up from a nightmare. And I don’t-” Cloud cuts himself off, gnawing absently at the corner of his mouth. Eyes darting and shadowy. “It’s not- I mean this isn’t all I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It clicks. Cloud’s strange hesitation and sudden apology. The truth behind those words. The things Cloud seem to get out. Sparking like a flare of fireworks through Andrea’s mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh this perfectly ridiculous boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Growing up in the Garden, living the life that he’s lived before now, Andrea knows perfectly well when someone’s interest in him is purely physical. And it’s not something he’s ever had a problem with. Never went looking for or expecting anything different. He hadn’t been interested- certainly not in relationships.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he’s never gotten that sense from Cloud. Certainly not after they’d after they’d met again. Images running like a film reel in Andrea’s head of dozens of little nothing moments. Cloud teasing him, cooking for him, tucking him into bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yet Cloud’s apparently worried that Andrea might think all Cloud wants from him is sex. Like the fact that he’s even thinking that isn’t absolute proof of the opposite.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea can’t help it. Can’t stop the incredulous laugh bubbling up from his stomach. Trying to choke it back if only because it’s some ungodly hour of the day. Shaking his head helplessly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-what?” Cloud mutters. A vague uncertainty behind his voice. It’s enough to sober Andrea, at least a little. He pushes back his laughter and looks into Cloud’s eyes, a smile still playing around the edges of his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never believed for a moment that it was.” “But there’s nothing wrong with wanting this. You know that, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-yeah. But-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s heart swells as Cloud’s gaze drifts away. A new kind of concern shadowing his face. So much warmth and fondness rushing through him that it almost hurts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you look at me a moment?” Andrea asks, voice soft as he curls a hand against Cloud’s chin gently. It takes a moment before Cloud looks back at him. “I promise I’d tell you if it wasn’t something I wanted, Cloud. Just like I’d want you to tell me, if that was ever the case.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud eyes flicker. Pretty lips parting slightly as surprise washes over him. A dozen things pass behind his eyes, too quick for Andrea to really pin any of them down. In the next moment, Cloud’s shoulders sag a little. Dipping on an exhale, tension bleeding out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Okay.” Ah. There’s that beautiful shadow smile Andrea adores so very much. Hovering small and secretive in the corner of Cloud’s lips. Andrea pulls him in, pulls him close so he can kiss it. Drags his hand up under Cloud’s shirt, fingers trailing the valley and ridges of his spine. Revelling in the gentle heat of his skin. In the way Cloud presses to him again. Wants more, wants him closer. Tugs pointedly at Cloud’s shirt as he leans back enough to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I get you out of these lovely?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You first.” Cloud says, voice a heated whisper, brushing against Andrea’s lips. Eyes glowing subtly. Andrea can’t help the low chuckle that bubbles out him. Bright arousal and surprise lighting up his nerves like starlight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Deal.” Andrea replies immediately. All roads lead to his ultimate goal of being as close to Cloud as he can get. And it doesn’t surprise him, after earlier back in his apartment that Cloud wants to ‘even the playing field as it were. “Help me then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It always makes Andrea smile, how quick and eager Cloud can be. Especially once his worries or concerns are assuaged. Arms slipping from the dancer’s neck to drag his hands along the firm line of Andrea’s torso. Dipping up under Andrea’s shirt, curling against his waist for a moment as Andrea kisses him harder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quit tryin’ to distract me.” Cloud says as Andrea pulls away again to let them both breathe. Andrea grins, sliding a hand into Cloud hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t dream of it, my darling.” He replies, immediately pulling Cloud’s mouth back into his. Cloud grunts against him, annoyance humming beneath the far more present hunger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Asshole.” Cloud growls under his breath, blunt nails digging into Andrea’s chest. Not an ounce of real heat to it. Andrea chuckles, especially as Cloud tugs his shirt up to the point he has to move. Cloud dodges him as Andrea tries to catch his lips again. Dipping down to press his lips to Andrea’s neck, just below his jaw. Andrea blinks, then sighs, letting his head loll to the side, giving Cloud more space as he starts to pick his way down. Gentle, cautious touches slowly growing longer, tighter. Lingering long enough that the warmth hovers against his skin for a moment as Cloud moves. The faintest prick of teeth against his pulse and the feeling of Cloud’s fingertips catching in the waistband of his pants drags Andrea’s attention back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cloud.” He breathes. Cloud answers him with a questioning hum, pulling back only enough that Andrea can see his face again. His expression shifts, something quiet easing through the back of it. He leans in, slowly. Lips whispering against Andrea’s. Andrea rests his hands against Cloud’s sides, pressing firmly. Cloud pulls back, blinking at him as Andrea smiles. “Lie back for me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s eyes widen a touch. But he gives Andrea a tiny nod and slowly shifts to lean back. Andrea follows him, chuckling deep in his chest when Cloud still manages to tug his pants down in the process. A man of many talents, indeed. Not the least of which is his ability to get Andrea’s heart racing. Turning his blood to slow rolling magma. Still, Andrea’s more than happy to oblige Cloud’s obvious desire. Reaching to help the blond strip him the rest of the way. The cool morning air brushes against his heated skin. Makes him shiver a touch and hurry to climb over top Cloud to soak in his warmth. Cloud reaches for him as Andrea settles. Just a heartbeat of hesitation before he rests them against Andrea’s knees and glides them up. Pressing firm to hard muscle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, there’s so much heat and hunger in those steadily glowing eyes that it ignites the flames in Andrea’s blood sharply. Can feel them drag along his skin like a secondary physical touch as Cloud slowly runs his hands along Andrea’s chest and stomach. The dancer meets those wandering eyes with a grin and settles his weight a little more firmly across Cloud’s hips. Keeps their eyes locked as he starts to roll them together. The growing swell of Cloud’s erection pressed snug against the curve of his ass. He can feel the heat of it even through Cloud’s clothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit-” Cloud curses under his breath, expression pinched as he bites at his lower lip. Andrea hums low in his chest. Eyes hooded as he watches Cloud’s face. Reaches to catch Cloud’s hands. Lacing their fingers and holding tight for leverage as he works up a slow, hard rhythm. Cloud clutches him back, attention fixed squarely on Andrea. Sends a shiver of awareness rippling through him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s always loved being in the spotlight. Loves watching and being watched, ever since he was a boy first learning his trade. But even after the literal thousands of other eyes that he’s been scrutinized by, none of them have ever stirred him so deeply. And </span>
  <em>
    <span>god</span>
  </em>
  <span> if Andrea doesn’t love getting to watch him in turn. To see the flashes and spikes of pleasure playing over Cloud’s pretty face. To hear the breathy sounds Cloud stifles. Edging so close to forgetting himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A part of him almost wishes he’d let Cloud take him home. If only for the fact it meant Cloud wouldn’t have to stifle those gorgeous noises that make Andrea’s blood sing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea leans in, curling over Cloud. Pressing their joined hands down to rest on the mattress by Cloud’s head. Cloud’s eyes flutter as Andrea gives another slow, circling press. That poor lower lip caught tight between his teeth again. Andrea dips down, nuzzling the end of Cloud’s nose softly. Waits until Cloud’s attention’s on him again and smiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your turn, beautiful.” He whispers, lips pressing briefly to the edge of Cloud’s before he sits up, letting the other go. Cloud blinks after him, something quietly startled in his gaze. Andrea’s smile sharpens to a grin. Grinding against Cloud once more before pulling back. Humming a pleased little noise when Cloud’s hips twitch after him. “Come on, sweetheart. I want to </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel </span>
  </em>
  <span>you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a rumble of low noise deep in Cloud’s chest. Breaks against the heat in Andrea’s like pieces of kindling. Igniting as Cloud shows off that delicious core strength. Sitting up without his arms as he reaches to pull the shirt over his head. Andrea snags it from him, dropping it off the side of the bed. Cloud shifts, careful in the small space. Arches up on his knees, dropping his sleepwear as Andrea reaches for him. Tugging and coaxing the other over to straddle his thighs as Cloud kicks off his boxers and pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One of Cloud’s hands falls to rest against his chest as Andrea pulls him in. Catches his lips tenderly. Cloud hums as he shifts to follow Andrea’s lead. Tilts his head to meet Andrea beat for beat. It sparks an idea in the back of his mind. Something he admits he’s suddenly quite curious about it. So he reaches out, curls his hands against Cloud’s hips. Tugging the other against him more firmly. Cloud’s eyes flash as their erections brush together. Glowing eyes darting up to Andrea’s. Andrea tips his head, arches a brow, voice lightly coy as he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dance with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The most adorable flash of wide-eyed confusion crosses Cloud’s face. Andrea has to bite back a laugh. He tightens his hold on Cloud’s hips, fingers digging slightly into the muscle of his ass. It makes Cloud jump, gasp and Andrea rolls his hips into the motion. It drags them together in a delicious press of hard, heated skin. Andrea huffs, a low hum echoing in his chest. Understanding curls over Cloud’s expression and he gives a faint roll of his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re ridiculous.” Cloud snorts under his breath, even as he starts to move against Andrea. Arms curling across his shoulders. Catching and adapting to the rhythm Andrea eases them into. Andrea pulls his hands away after a few minutes, letting Cloud take over the motion fully as he leans back on his arms. God.  It’s still one of the headiest damn things to see Cloud lose himself in this way. All that tense focus bleeding down into that beautiful, natural grace.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Andrea has to bite the end of his tongue against a groan, a rush of heated blood flooding into his cock. Making him swell and twitch against Cloud. The slide easier as Cloud starts to leak beads of precum. Andrea’s getting damn close to that state himself. The feeling of Cloud against him and the sight of the other above him. Cloud’s eyes lidded with heated pleasure, spine arching as his head rolls back a moment. Baring the smooth, lovely line of his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look at you.” Andrea says, voice a near rasp in his throat. “Fucking gorgeous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud shivers, twitches against him. Rhythm breaking with a hard, needy press. “Andrea...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea feels a tingle in the base of his spine as Cloud peers down at him. A question, verging on a plea in their surreal depths. Feels the echo of it in his heart, especially as Cloud reaches for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come here.” Andrea catches Cloud and tugs him close. Pulling the other’s weight flush against him as he catches Cloud’s lips in a deep heated kiss. One arm going tight around Cloud’s back, the other combing through his hair as he turns them slightly. Gets them lying on their sides, facing one another. Cloud’s one hand trapped between them and the other gripping Andrea’s upper arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea slides his hand down, catching the back of Cloud’s thigh and tugging his leg over his side. Cloud gasps as their lips part again, eyes flashing. Andrea hums, pressing his forehead to Cloud’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright?” He asks, fingers kneading into the firm, lean muscle. Cloud nods, pressing in as Andrea rocks against him subtly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. ‘s good. Keep going.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With pleasure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s slow, methodical. A careful, but relentless build of pressure, heat and slick. Amplified and somehow made all the more intimate by the absolute lack of any barrier between them. Skin to skin. Bodies so thoroughly entwined it would take too much though for Andrea to actively parse out where Cloud begins and where he ends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ah-</span>
  </em>
  <span>...</span>
  <em>
    <span>hgn</span>
  </em>
  <span>...</span>
  <em>
    <span>m-mnnn-</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s fighting so hard to keep his voice back as the pleasure builds. Twitching, gasping, fingers squeezing tight against Andrea. Both of them leaking freely now, creating a smooth, easy slide as they writhe together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re being so good for me.” Andrea curls a hand against the side of Cloud’s face. Clutching him closer still. Cloud’s so damn </span>
  <em>
    <span>beautiful</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Flushed and trembling against Andrea. So close that Andrea could count those sweet freckles of his. Can almost see his reflection in those glowing blue-green eyes. Cloud shudders, eyes flashing. A barely stifled noise in the back of his throat. “But you know what this means of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“H-hmm?” Cloud blinks at him. Sweet and confused. It does nothing to stop the fiery need coursing beneath Andrea’s skin like a tidal force. Curls his lips into something sharp and perhaps a touch cruel in its intent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to have to make you scream next time. To make up for all this silence.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud gapes at him. Eyes flaring, so sudden and bright the color seems to shift. A sound tears itself from his lips. Ragged and too loud in the quiet of the morning. Cloud flushes darker and ducks his head. Face pressing firm to Andrea’s shoulder. The dancer can’t help the way he softens a touch at Cloud’s apparent embarrassment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silly, sweet, beautiful boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A-andrea-” Cloud’s hips stutter, breaking the smooth building rhythm as the other trembles. Breath rushing out in a hot wave against Andrea’s shoulder as Cloud pulls him impossibly closer. Andrea curls further over and around him, dipping down to press his lips to Cloud’s ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m close too.” Andrea whispers, voice edging on ragged beneath the tidal wave of heat boiling through him. A high noise hitches in the back of Cloud’s throat. Trembling and shattered as his hand clenches against Andrea’s arm. Grip bordering on painful. Andrea shudders, face pressing more firmly to the side of Cloud’s. “Don’t stop. I want to feel you, sweetheart. Come on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blessedly, Cloud listens. Dragging Andrea closer with his knee still hooked over the dancer’s side. Any semblance of sense or rhythm vanishes from Cloud’s near frantic movement. Building and shifting in a sporadic ebb and flow as Cloud chases his orgasm. Andrea just holds him tight and matches him as best he can. Gasping a low stream of mindless hums and praises into Cloud’s wild hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud seizes against him, a sharp ripple of tension that locks his body in place as he spills between them. Pressed so close to Andrea, the dancer can feel the shivering cry vibrate through his chest. Mouth a firebrand of wet heat against Andrea’s shoulder. Andrea’s not far behind, shifting them slightly, pressing Cloud down as he ruts against the blond with increased fervour. Groaning as the slick from Cloud’s release makes it so, so easy. To push himself harder, faster. Barrelling towards the release that’s been hovering just outside of his grasp for so long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sun’s broken the horizon, soft strands of golden light spilling in the window, warming the air. Curling around their bare skin. But it’s nothing compared to the heat of Cloud’s skin against his, the light sheen of sweat built up between them from such closeness. Nothing compared to the light of Cloud’s eyes as Andrea shifts him away enough to catch his beautiful, blissed out expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, he lives in a world now, where he can see the sun and the sky everyday. Whenever he wants. But right now, in this moment- and so many others- there’s nothing in the world he wants to look at more than Cloud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea bends to catch Cloud’s lips again. Pressing deep and hard and hungry to stifle his voice. The touch slowly drifting down into something softer as the vestiges of his orgasm slowly bleed away into the heated air. Andrea goes to pull away, but is stopped almost immediately by Cloud’s hands curling against his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mm mm.” Cloud mumbles, eyes slitting open. Still bright and faintly hazed with pleasure. A twist between his eyes as he whispers. “Stay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea sinks back into him without thought. Drawn in by the gentle touch and the soft plea underscoring Cloud’s voice. Shifts to curl an arm under Cloud’s shoulders and pull him closer. Cloud’s grip on him shifts, gentles. Thumbs sweeping along the skin behind Andrea’s ears gently. Dragging along his short cropped hair. Andrea hums into the contact. The press of skin and warm, lingering heat. Cloud kisses him back. Slow and soft. Almost lazy in it’s thoughtlessness. It’s silly, though that aspect may be amplified given their odd sleep schedule and the haze of pleasure still curled around them both. Drawn out and out with each press of their bodies or lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon enough Andrea’s smiling too hard to kiss Cloud properly. This time Cloud lets him shift back enough so Andrea can actually look at him properly again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One of Cloud’s hands shifts. Fingertips grazing Andrea’s cheek. Slow, gentle. Soft as his namesake. It threatens to break and mend Andrea’s heart all in one. Especially paired with the look in Cloud’s eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s seen that one before, hasn’t he? That day after Cloud came home. When they’d been curled up on the couch together. Andrea still doesn’t have a name for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he </span>
  <em>
    <span>does</span>
  </em>
  <span> have a name for the feeling that swells to answer it inside him. The thing that burns at the back of his eyes, his throat. Hovers on his tongue. A sweet and sharp taste.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cloud...?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm?” Cloud’s voice is low. Quiet. Fingers pausing just beneath Andrea’s mouth as those two toned eyes flicker up to his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea wasn’t lying, when he told Cloud he would happily drown in them. And it feels a little like he is right now. Emotion well through him, rising to press against his ribs. To fill his lungs and wrap tight around his heart. Glowing and bordering on painful from its intensity. He reaches out a hand that shakes faintly, can blame it on the remnants of his orgasm later, to brush at the strands of hair handing in Cloud’s face. Pushing them away gently so he can see him better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something passes through the back of Cloud’s bright eyes. Like a ripple over still water. Passes through his soft expression. Parts his lips a touch as Andrea brushes his fingers down the side of his face. Andrea takes a breath, empathizing with Cloud in that moment and how strangely hard it is to find his voice. Tries to draw on that well of quiet strength that slumbers inside Cloud. So much more than Cloud realizes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a thud outside from the hall, the sound of a door closing. Not loud, but jarring after the relative quiet of the morning. They both flinch, tense. Andrea sits back as Cloud moves to prop himself up on an arm, eyes wide for a moment before they narrow. A small, concentrated furrow marking his brow. A heartbeat or two passes before he sighs,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Denzel’s up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea has no idea how Cloud knows that, but he doesn’t question it either. Still, there’s a faint, bitter lump in the back of his throat. He swallows it down and sighs internally as he shifts away to let Cloud get up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows he’s being ridiculous about it. Knows in his head that he is. This isn’t one of his novels. It’s real life, and real life is mess and imperfect and lovely for that. But even so, Andrea can’t help but pout a little at the universe in that moment now that the weirdly perfect-imperfect moment has been shattered to pieces.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ah well</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Andrea thinks, pushing away the touch of melancholy as pulling on his showman’s face with a smile. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No need to rush. We’ve got time</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud hunts down their scattered clothes and riffles through his desk a moment to produce a pack of wipes. He snags a few for himself and tosses the pack to Andrea so they can clean themselves up. From outside there’s another sound of a door and then a quiet murmur of voices. Andrea thinks he can pick out both of the kid’s higher, sweeter tones. The low, groggy grumble must be Barret. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both dress for the day. Andrea slips back into his clothes from the other day without an ounce of shame. Cloud invited him to spend the night. If anything, this just makes the reality of that hit a little harder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fuck he’s so far gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea has to bite back a chuckle. Cloud looks at him, brow arched. His eyes bright against the dull, heather green material of his shirt and the black cargo pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re cute.” Andrea replies simply, beaming when Cloud blinks at him. Surprise flickering behind his eyes before he turns away with a muted grumble. Probably a curse in there too, but Andrea doesn’t care. Happily distracted by the faintest touch of color in the edges of Cloud’s ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, he adores this silly, beautiful boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They slip out of the room and Andrea spots both Marlene and Denzel perched beside Barret on the futon. Marlene’s chattering away with a bright smile, shaking his arm. Barret still seems half asleep as he answers her in kind. As they head for the stairs there’s a quick patter of feet on the floor behind them. Andrea feels Cloud tense, shift and a moment later barely waver as Denzel leaps onto his back with a grin. Andrea smiles as he looks at the boy. He looks much better this morning. Eyes bright and skin healthily flushed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Cloud. Hi Andi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sleep okay?” Cloud asks, glancing back over his shoulder as Denzel’s arms slide around his neck. The boy nods as Cloud reaches back to hitch him a little higher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. Then you can help with breakfast.” Cloud replies, motioning with his chin for Andrea to start down the stairs. Which the dancer does, chuckling to himself as he hears the quiet groan behind Denzel’s answering “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fiiine.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’re the first ones downstairs though Andrea’s sure he heard more movement upstairs just behind them. Sure enough they’ve barely started pulling things out for breakfast when Tifa appears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, everybody.” She says with a warm smile, stretching her arms over her head. The adorable, lacy teal crop top she’s wearing rides up a little and Andrea can’t help notice the slight discoloration on her skin. An angular line of strange, paler skin. Silvery in a way that distant reminds him of the majority of Cloud’s scars. Something unsettles itself in his chest- </span>
  <em>
    <span>a shared trauma?</span>
  </em>
  <span>- but he tucks it away and returns Tifa’s wave when her attention turns to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea’s not surprised by the fact Cloud ushers him out from behind the counter. So he makes himself useful and wanders over to the jukebox to turn on some peppy mood music before setting the tables at Tifa’s request. Marlene and Barret show up a few minutes later, just as Andrea’s sitting down with a steaming cup of dark coffee. He’d been offered tea, but after the night he had, he figured he could use the boost. Barret seems surprised to see him there still. Andrea’s not sure if he’s surprised that Marlene isn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, right!” Denzel pipes up a while later. The air in the bar hangs with the delicious smell of sausages and honey drizzled porridge. Andrea’s just in the process of answering a message from Claude from late last night when Denzel hops up on the chair beside him. “Hey, Andi?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“D’ya wanna come with us to the ranch on Sunday?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The...ranch?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The one out by Kalm where they keep the chocobo’s.” Ah. Andrea’s gaze darts over to the wall where the one lovely picture hangs. “Cloud’s gotta go check on ‘em soon since one of the mom’s is gonna have babies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s exciting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! So you gonna come?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to Andi.” Tifa cuts in with a gentle, but stern look at Denzel as she comes over with a bowl laden with large chunks of melon. The boy looks a little sheepish, ruffling his hair. “I know Sunday’s your day off. But you’re absolutely welcome if you want to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea laughs. “I’d love to, then. Work’s going to get rather hectic for me soon, so a bit of a lull before that would be most welcome.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh? What are you doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea sighs a touch as the weight of it all settles on his shoulders again. He’s genuinely excited about it of course, but still. He knows it’s going to soak up a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> of his time and energy in the coming months. “My lovely Director’s given me the honour of organizing our Fall production.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ooh! Is it gonna be like the one we watched?” Marlene chimes in, the excitement in her eyes frankly flattering. It’s always been one of his absolutely favourite things about performing. Creating something memorable for his audiences. Andrea grins and nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something like it, yes. Probably a little...</span>
  <em>
    <span>flashier</span>
  </em>
  <span>, if I get my way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we come see it too?” She asks, so much anticipation in her voice that it melts Andrea’s heart a little. So does the bright curiosity in Denzel’s eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course. It won’t be until late August, but I’d love it you all could make it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That shouldn’t be a problem since it’ll be before school starts up again for those two.” Tifa ruffles Denzel’s hair lightly and the boy wavers her off with a grumble. “I know I’ll be looking forward to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’m looking forward to some eats. This looks good.” Barret says, bringing over a bowl positively stacked with sausages. He takes a seat at one end of the table, Marlene perching eagerly on his left, setting down her own little burden of a pitcher of cream and jar of brown sugar. Cloud trails them, loading everybody up with a generous helping of happily steaming porridge. He sits beside Denzel with Tifa settling in across the table beside Marlene.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Breakfast is a delicious, largely peaceful affair. Full of happy, bright chatter. But as time is want to do in such peace, it passes by all too quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should get going if we wanna hit your place first.” Cloud pipes up as he glances at the clock. Andrea follows his gaze and hums.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mm, yes you’re right. Sorry everyone. I hate to dine and dash, but I’ve got a class of very eager flowers waiting for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marlene giggles. She’s always found his term for his students amusing. Denzel and Barret both wave.. Tifa gets to her feet and offers him a brief hug as he passes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No worries. Take care Andi. We’ll see you bright and early on Sunday.” She says with a grin as she steps back. Andrea nods, bidding them all one more farewell before he trots along after Cloud. The two of them slip into the garage where Fenrir’s waiting and in no time at all they’re racing along the familiar route back to the apartment. Cloud follows him inside, perching on the arm of the chair as Andrea bustles about to get ready. It doesn’t take him long, just a quick change and more than a touch of his usual makeup routine to hide the faint dark circles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey.” Cloud snags his wrist as Andrea wanders back into the room. Andrea turns to him, brow arched. He hums a question, letting his shoulder bag slip to the floor beside the chair as he steps closer at Cloud’s gentle tug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it sweetheart?” Andrea says, eyeing the little furrow on Cloud’s brow. It lingers there as Cloud’s eyes trace over his face. Slow and concentrated. It’d be flattering if not for that little candle-flame of worry flickering behind them. That look’s been there too much and the day’s just getting started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...” Cloud shifts, eyes darting away from Andrea a moment. His fingers absently toying with the sleeve of Andrea’s red shirt. A lighter, cotton button up for the warming weather outside. Then Cloud sighs through his nose, looking back up at Andrea. Expression a little tense and cautious. “I meant it, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Meant?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you wanna talk. Or if that gets. Worse.” Cloud’s fingers tighten against his arm. But it seems unconscious on his part. “I’m listening. Anytime.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cloud...” Andrea reaches for him, hands curling against his jaw. A warm smile flickering to life on his face as he watches those brilliant eyes. “I know you are, darling. But I’m alright for now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud hums quietly. A little absent like he doesn’t quite believe it. Andrea chuckles. Leans in to nuzzles against Cloud’s cheek. Feels Cloud sigh, warm against him and a moment later his arms come up to wrap around Andrea’s waist. Fingers curling gently into the back of Andrea’s shirt, grip tightening a little as Andrea tips his head to kiss him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really want to come Sunday?” Cloud says as they part a minute later. Andrea nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes- if it’s alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“’Course. Just didn’t want you to say yes cuz of the kids.” Andrea laughs. Fair enough, as Cloud had said, he does have quite a large soft spot for those two these days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, what if I said yes because of you?” Cloud rolls his eyes and Andrea steps back with a grin as the other pushes himself up. Trails behind as they head back out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Friday’s are usually busy at the studio. They’re days they have the most classes running after all. Sure enough there’s small, scattered crowds hovering around even this early in the day. Cloud stops them on the edge of the property and Andrea swings off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pick ya up Sunday then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’d be so kind.” Cloud nods and Andrea smiles, “Just send me a message so I know what time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will do.” Cloud glances towards the studio then back at him. That pretty shadowy smile flickering to life at the edges of his expression. “Have a good day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You too, lovely.” Andrea says, watching with a wistful sigh as Cloud drives off. Pushes back that hovering disappointment firmly as he turns to head inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’ve got time.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If anybody wants to add me on PSN my id is:   </p><p>Aveum666</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Country Boys</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>LOOK AT ALL THOSE CHICKENS Vine inserted here. Also- hey! Less then two weeks gap this time...*siiiiiigh* ^^"</p>
<p>Avasti is the true Golden Chocobo of this scenario.</p>
<p>And huuuge shout out to CervusDeer, who A) inspired basically of the chocobo's names- and provided a list for me to pick some out of too. Laughter was had.</p>
<p>AND B) For drawing this DROP. DEAD. GORGEOUS ANDI from chapter 10/11: </p>
<p>https://twitter.com/Moosephu/status/1284696895206694912</p>
<p>Please shower them with much love and praise because I'm still FLOORED by it. &lt;3333333</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andi?” There’s a whine in Claude’s voice. Andrea’s impressed he managed to hold out as long as he had. He closes his eyes, leaning back in his chair a little further.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes dear?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I have a newfound appreciation for absolutely everything you and Marleeta did back at the Inn. Oh my </span>
  <em>
    <span>god</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea laughs, the sound edged in a content sort of weariness. It’s been a very busy, very long, but very good day all things told. His own classes had gone swimmingly and he’d even managed to weasel in on Harlow’s class to start scouting. He’s got a few names. People he’d like to observe closer, preferably on a more one on one basis.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He reaches over, patting Claude consolingly on the shoulder. He doesn’t have the heart to tell him that today wasn’t even a fraction of what he and Marleeta used to do on the daily. He’s sure Claude knows that well enough. And for the sake of both their sanity, it’s probably best if they don’t think of this as the start of a </span>
  <em>
    <span>long</span>
  </em>
  <span> slog. It’ll be worth it in the end he’s sure. It usually is.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I am so ready to get out of here. You?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not yet. I’ve got a few more things I’d like to do around here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh my god- you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>such</span>
  </em>
  <span> a workaholic Andi. If I didn’t know for a fact you know how to have fun, I’d worry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Claude pushes back up on his feet and stretches with a long, groaning sigh. Andrea waves him off before he goes back to his notes. Twirling a pen idly between his fingers, cheek cradled on his fist. Sighs to himself as he eyes the mass of text. What a mess. He’s usually much better organized than this, but his mind keeps on running away with him today. To too far off shores of thought and memory. Thankfully only slipped back towards that distant, unsettled feeling a few times and never for long. Funny, Andrea can’t decide if he wishes those damn dreams would hang around longer than when he opens his eyes. If only so he could at least make an attempt at parsing them out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But in equal measure he’s glad they don’t. Gives him more room in his head to linger in far warmer, happier thoughts. Like Cloud’s lovely face and that rare, beautiful smile Andrea was graced with. That and the excited, familiar rush that working on something he truly gives a shit about always brings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His phone buzzes on the table top. Abrasive in the quiet of the room. Andrea blinks down at it, humming when he sees Leslie’s name.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Got my message did you?” Andrea says in lieu of a greeting, tucking the phone up against his ear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah. So what’s the plan?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What it’s always been. For now I’m going to try and make it out to Kalm next week.” Andrea says, doodling an absent schedule on the bottom corner of his paper. A tin frown in the corner of his mouth. “With any luck, everything will start there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>About damn time</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Leslie mutters and it’s not that Andrea doesn’t understand his frustrations. He does, on an almost visceral level. But still, they’ve come too far to miss these next crucial steps.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Patience Leslie. Rushing now isn’t going to do any good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ve been patient Andrea. For four years.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>And if you want to find him, I suggest you keep at it.” Andrea replies evenly. “You’re not the only one with a stake in this venture, lest you forget.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>...What do you need from me?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Leslie asks after a moment of quiet. Something quietly cowed in his voice. Andrea softens a touch. He’s always liked Leslie, ever since the boy first showed up on the Don’s doorstep- then Andrea’s. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and a good heart under all that cold cynicism.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I want you to start tracking down my people. I’ll forward you what information I have.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fine.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Leslie replies with a sigh. But there’s a level of agreement to it now. Good. There’s a shift on Leslie’s end, a rustle. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>You figure out Strife’s deal?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nothing you need to be concerned with.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah right. Shina bullshit’s always a reason to be concerned</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Then it’s a good thing Shinra’s no longer around.” Andrea says. Quiet but firm. Still pricks at him the wrong way, for people to lump Cloud in with their ilk. Especially when he’s been working so hard behind the scenes, to try and keep the rest of them safe from the remnants of the mega-corporation’s shadow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Huh</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a faint note of incredulity to Leslie’s voice. Enough to drag Andrea out of his thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing. Just never expected you of all people to end up wrapped around somebody’s finger</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’d almost be an insult if not for Leslie's tone. Something softer that calls the image of a pretty pedant. A golden, lifeless flower that Andrea knows the other keeps on his person at all times. Andrea can’t help the smile that crawls over his face. From Leslie, that’s quite a stunning endorsement. “I’ll keep you posted Leslie. Just do what you can.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>“</span><em><span>Right.</span></em> <em><span>Good luck.</span></em><span>”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You too.” Andrea says and a dial tone sounds in his ear. He sets his phone aside and turns back to his notes. Right. Time to actually figure out what the hell he’s doing. On all fronts. Prioritize and condense. Short term and long term and all the steps in between. Long term, he’s got roughly two and a half weeks now till Narisa’s deadline. She’s given him that long to assemble a new crew. But he’s going to do one better. Andrea is quite determined to have an outline laid out for the fall production. Better to start it now so she can get her paws in on all the nitty gritty details she’s sure to want to- despite leaving it in his hands. He knows Narisa better than that by now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And in the immediate short term, there’s the trip to consider the day after tomorrow. He has a feeling that he’s going to more than need the break by the time Sunday rolls around. So strange to think that he’s going to be leaving the city again. His whole life was defined by steel walls, despite his attempts to cover it up in glitz and glamour. And sure he’s been out to Kalm before, but only under duress. The Chocobo’s Ranch, from what Andrea understands, is beyond that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s rather looking forward to it. Which is why Andrea wants to put in as much time as possible, so there’s nothing he’s fretting over come Sunday. He wants to be able to enjoy it fully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So he works. Throws himself headfirst into planning and plotting. Into charting out his coming days. Things start to unfold before Andrea, in his mind. Spinning out and out into the distance, like a carefully choreographed dance. He leaves room of course, for setbacks and missteps. For the messiness of life. Improvisation doesn’t just belong to theatre after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cleaning staff end up chasing him out several hours later. He’s probably the last one in the building besides them. And Narisa surely. Andrea can’t ever remember seeing her leave the studio. Or arrive at it. She’s just always </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It’s something he can admit a level of understanding and jealousy for. He misses living his passion. His space, his people.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All in due time. As he’d told Leslie, patience. They’ve come this far. And Andrea knows it’s all in the details now. He has a good feeling about Kalm. It’s just a matter of finding a way out there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He slips by the curry place he and Cloud discovered. Too tired to even think about scraping something together at home. Right now all Andrea wants to do is drag his ass home and curl up in bed. He saw the sun come up this morning and now the stars are twinkling across the sky in its place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He remembers vaguely fumbling with his keys. Doesn’t really remember the taste of the curry on his tongue- which is a shame since it’s some of his favourite. Stumbling into bed without bothering with pyjamas. Just strips himself of his work attire and falls in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next thing Andrea knows he’s opening his eyes to that familiar void. To the far off thunder and flashes of color. To the now familiar Mako green. A little more distant than last night. The voice is there too. But tonight there’s nothing discernible to the sound as it brushes against his ears. No words or warnings this time. Settles something like relief on his bones, just under the unease.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wakes missing Cloud. The now familiar warmth and weight against him. Reaches for his phone without thought only to realize he must’ve left it in his bag. Falls back against his pillows, wrist braced against his forehead as he sighs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea’s always been a dreamer. Had his share of nightmares too. Unavoidable, he thinks, being a resident of the slums. Of Sector 6 in particular. But never anything like this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Who are you...?” He whispers to the morning air. To the distant rumble of traffic leaking through the walls. A memory sparking in the back of his mind. Cloud had said something strange before. Back when they’d visited the church. Something about the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Planet</span>
  </em>
  <span>...? Andrea can’t quite recall. But he remembers Cloud being oddly serious about it. Another one of those strange, abstract things that Cloud speaks of so literally.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>God, it’s too early in the day for this. With a groan, Andrea rolls to his feet and heads for the kitchen. His kingdom for a good cup tea. Only stops along the way to snatch up his phone. But he waits until he’s seated with a large mug of green steaming happily in front of him before he opens it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Surprisingly there’s a message from Cloud. Pulls a smile onto Andrea’s tired face before he’s even finished reading it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Hey. Gonna be out of here by 7 tomorrow. That okay?</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>I suppose I can sacrifice my beauty sleep.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b> Be by just after that.</b></li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Sounds good, beautiful. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he goes to set his phone down, Cloud’s never really on for conversation on them, Andrea blinks, surprised when it chimes again. He looks down and has to fight a sudden wave of emotion that bottles itself in his throat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>You sleep okay?</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh this darling boy...</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>I did. Got a full night and everything.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>No nightmares?</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea bites the edge of his lip. Worrying it slightly as he ponders. A part of him wants to...not </span>
  <em>
    <span>lie</span>
  </em>
  <span> necessarily, but dodge the question. He doesn’t want Cloud to worry. Hates to picture and remember the vivid concern on that lovely face. But Andrea’s already made a promise to himself. To be honest with Cloud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>In this together Andi.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>One- but not as bad as last night.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Same thing though?</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Yes.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It takes longer this time for Cloud to respond. Moments drifting into minutes. Andrea sips at his tea, climbing to his feet to start bustling about. He’s gotten himself dressed and just stepped into the bathroom to put on his proper face when his phone chimes again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Tell me about it.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Again, Andrea chews over the request for a while. He doesn’t see the harm, but he honestly doesn’t know how, or even where to start. Starts, stops and erases half a dozen attempts before he finally shakes his head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>I will, but I think it’d be easier in person.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Next time we meet up- just us.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Is that alright?</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud’s response takes a while again. When he does the curtness of it makes Andrea smile reflexively. Too easy to picture the expression likely on the blond’s face. That stubborn, faintly frustrated tilt to his brow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>K</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>just</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud goes silent on him. Odd, even for him, to trail off in the middle of a conversation. Still, Andrea tucks away that little niggling worry and finishes fixing the faint, lingering bags under his eyes. Not as bad as they’d been yesterday, thank god, but even so. It’s only years of experience that keep him from jabbing the liner pencil straight into his eye when his phone starts to ring. He finishes the delicate stroke along his lash line before he taps the answer button, not checking who it is.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hello?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Morning Andi!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Claude’s voice echoes cheerily through the bathroom. Bright and bubbly and always way too much a morning person, even by Andrea’s standards.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hello to you too, dear. What can I do for you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Well, I just wanted to let you know I got hold of Lucia. She said she’d help us out.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Wonderful. Thank you for doing that. It’s another thing I owe you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>We’re still on for Thursday then?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Absolutely. I have a feeling we’ll both need the break by then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh goodie.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Claude says with one of the most unenthusiastic tones Andrea’s ever heard from him.</span>
  <em>
    <span> “It’s gonna be one of those weeks, huh?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>More than likely.” Andrea replies easily. Claude sighs on the other end, but when he speaks there’s something of a grin in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Welp, guess that’ll just make the break worth it that much more</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Exactly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two of them chatter back and forth for a while longer. Throwing ideas back and forth like they have for the last while and Claude giving input on some possible candidates. Andrea’s headed out the door about ten minutes later before he remembers that he was talking with Cloud earlier. He glances at his phone and sure enough there’s another message.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>take it easy</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea chuckles and smiles at the short, simple message. The smile lingers on and off throughout the day. As Andrea finds time to sit in on the other classes he’s been meaning to. Draws up an even bigger list of prospective team members and doodles ideas for the recital on the side. Claude joins him for brainstorming during lunch and in the brief minutes they can steal between classes or in hallways. Lucia contacts Andrea too as his day comes to a close. Excited as ever to get her hands on the nitty gritty details of costuming. Andrea fires her some ideas to start sketching out and she replies with a handful she’s already done. He laughs and really shouldn’t have expected anything less.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he finally makes it home, once more the stars are out and he’s tired. Perhaps even more so than yesterday, but there’s also a sweet level of satisfaction and contentment under it. Andrea’s done just about everything he can for now, given there’s still another class or two of students he’d like to observe. But after that it’ll largely just be running auditions and such. Easy enough, if time consuming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea falls into bed, only just remembering to set an alarm for the morning. Snuggles down into his sheets and drifts off. Opens his eyes what feels like minutes later to the cheery blaring of his alarm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Strangely, he can’t remember if he’d dreamed or not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blearily, Andrea reaches out to turn off his alarm and forces himself up to his feet before he can give into the temptation of ‘just five more minutes’. Which would, inevitably turn into a series of them. And honestly, as his mind drags itself out of the fog of sleep, that bright excitement that’s been simmering in him the past two days flares bright.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In under an hour he’s going to be out of Edge for the first time in over a year. And it’s silly to be so excited about it. A year’s hardly any time at all, given he’d spent so much of his life in ‘city limits’ such as it were. But today the prospect of the new and unknown world beyond is a siren call.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This early he’s really not in the mood for food, but Andrea still forces himself to grab something quick, and packs up a few things for the road. Dives into his closet and spends too long sorting out what the hell he’s going to wear. Decides on being sensible and practical. Pats himself on the back for picking up those ‘hiking’ boots on a whim all those months ago.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s not ten minutes after seven that Andrea hears the familiar rumble of Fenrir’s engine outside. Barely makes it to the entrance way before there’s a knock. Pulling open the door he meets Cloud, all dolled up in his usual dark travel gear</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Good morning, lovely.” Andrea says with a bright smile. Cloud nods, expression even.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Ready to hit the road?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh definitely.” Andrea replies. He glances over towards the road and spies the teal truck. Tifa, Marlene and Barret all tucked inside. Andrea chuckles, returning the eager wave that Denzel gives him from where the boy’s perched on the bike. He looks back at Cloud, tipping his head. “But do you have a moment?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud blinks, but nods and follows as Andrea ushers him inside. There’s that little furrow between Cloud’s eyes again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Everything okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A warm, fond smile curls over Andrea’s face as he nods. Reaching out to catch Cloud’s chin, holding on lightly as he leans in to kiss him. Cloud makes a quiet noise, eyes wide for a moment before they close as he presses back into him. They part with a gentle, faintly wet sound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey...” There’s that sweet note of worry in Cloud’s voice. To the slight downturn of his lips. Andrea chuckles under his breath, shifting to smooth a thumb against that stubborn little knot between Cloud’s eyes. Brushes it against the light scar that splits Cloud’s left eyebrow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Everything’s fine, silly boy. Can’t I miss you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud’s expression flickers. Surprise drifting down into something softer. Lighter. The furl of his brow finally lifting. Nods against Andrea’s fingers as he skates them down the side of Cloud’s face. Takes a step closer to Andrea, arms coming up to circle Andrea’s waist loosely. Andrea smiles, brushing at Cloud’s hair gently. Gets that subtle flash spark of a smile in return before Cloud’s face ducks away into his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“’</span>
  <span>kay.” Comes the quiet murmur. A whisper of warm breath through his shirt. Andrea hums, burying his nose into blond spikes, nuzzling absently at Cloud until the other shifts back. Those bright eyes trail him, something considering in their depths. Andrea chuckles and steps back, arms out to the side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well? Do I pass muster?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It’ll do.” Cloud replies evenly. Andrea grins. Knows that’s Cloud’s stamp of approval- or at least as much of one as the other’s like to give. The dancer looks down at his feet when Cloud’s attention hovers there for a while. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nothing.” Cloud says, shaking his head slightly with a shrug, “Just surprised you have decent shoes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s not a lie, but Andrea’s not blind either. He’s caught those looks. The way those surreal eyes lingered for longer than a breath or heartbeat on their way down. A strange thing, too, given that by his usual standards Andrea thinks he looks rather plain. So the fact he’s still caught subtle admiring glances is more than a little flattering. Still, he very carefully tucks the little spark away, twists it into an exaggerated, affronted gasp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’ll have you know that </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> of my shoes are more than decent, thank you very much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud snorts, shaking his head. Expression torn between exasperation and something almost this side of amused. “Sure. See if you think that after tromping through marshland for a couple hours.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A quiet thrill trips its way down Andrea’s spine. His smile takes a bit of a wry tilt. “Is it strange for me to say I’m looking forward to that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Probably.” Cloud huffs with a shrug. Not quite looking at Andrea. “But, uh. I don’t really got room to judge. Don’t do normal, remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea blinks. His dramatics faltering under the quiet...</span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> in Cloud’s voice. But it sends a rush of sudden, impossibly tender warmth curling through his chest. Can’t help his stupid, sentimental heart from reading something more there. From hearing echoes of what Cloud hasn’t said, but that Andrea swears he can hear anyway. Echoing like a whisper on the wind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud doesn’t do normal. And frankly, neither does Andrea. But even so- or perhaps </span>
  <em>
    <span>because</span>
  </em>
  <span> of that- they do have each other. Trust Cloud to find a way to express that in the most indirect way possible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>No fair...” Andrea breathes and doesn’t realize it was aloud until Cloud blinks back at him. Confusion flickering over that pretty face. Andrea just smiles, shakes his head. “Shall we?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea locks up and then hurries to catch up to Cloud as he trots down to the others. He slows as they hit the sidewalk and glances back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You probably wanna ride with them.” Cloud says, jerking his head towards the truck. “I’m on ‘look out’ duty.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sounds exciting.” Andrea replies, but dutifully shuffles off towards the truck. Marlene pops the side door open before he can even reach for it and he laughs at her exuberance. “Why thank you Marlene dear.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You ready to meet the chocobos?” She asks immediately, shuffling back along the seat to her spot behind Barret. Andrea waves to the big man as he climbs in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh absolutely. Will you tell me about them on the way?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah!” Her cheer is infectious as always. And if anything, Andrea thinks it’s even more present. He doesn’t think he’d be off base saying that a lot of it has to do with her father’s presence. Andrea catches Tifa’s smile in the rear view mirror and returns it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Good morning Tifa. How are you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m doing great. Honestly can’t wait to get out of the city for a while.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Ha. Between you and Spike it’s a wonder it's taken ya so long.” Barret rumbles good naturally. Tifa chuckles, nodding absently. Ahead of them Cloud’s settling in behind Denzel and glances back in their direction. Tifa waves to him and he nods. Both engines kick up with a dull roar of noise and Tifa carefully pulls out to follow along close behind Cloud as he leads them through the streets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The steel and scrap walls and beams of Edge peel back, like a ratty curtain being drawn back from an opulent stage. Grey giving way to the breathtaking pale blue sky. Wisps of soft white clouds scattered haphazard across it. Building falling away to the flat, barren earth. Cracked and dusty and familiar as they leave the road behind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marlene’s been chattering away at Andrea as they drive. Filling him in on the various birds waiting for them at the ranch. She seems particularly attached to one she calls ‘Pops’, who’s apparently got the ‘silliest </span>
  <em>
    <span>wark</span>
  </em>
  <span> on Gaia’. Her simple, bright eyed enthusiasm is catchy, especially paired with Tifa and Barrets anecdotes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As they pull further out from Edge, there’s a crack of static. Andrea glances up into the front seat as Cloud’s voice suddenly sounds through the air. He hadn’t noticed the radio attached to the dash.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Keep east. Got a pair of riders out west.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Got it.” Tifa replies, shifting their course slightly. Winding through the rough terrain with an easy familiarity. Curious Andrea glances over to Marlene's window, peering to see if he can spot what they’re talking about. He thinks, maybe, that he spots two shifting dust clouds out in the far distance. But it’s near impossible to be certain given the pillars of jagged rock that jut sporadically out of the earth. Whatever the issue is, no one seems all that concerned about it. Tifa must catch his confusion in the mirror, “Just a couple monsters we’re avoiding. They shouldn’t get close, but Cloud’ll deal with them if they do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hah, not if I get to ‘em first.” Barret replies, a cocksure grin on his face. Dark sunglasses glinting in the early morning sunlight. Marlene giggles from her seat and Barret’s grin takes that soft turn Andrea’s rarely seen him without.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Daddy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah honey?” Barret responds immediately, twisting in his seat to look back at her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Can you put on my music disc please?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sure thing angel. One second.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s some fussing from the front seat and Andrea's attention drifts out past the window. Watching the familiar scenery rush past.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Tifa?” He asks after a moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>How long a trip is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh we’ll be there around noon I’m sure. Fun thing about the open road- no speed limits.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dancer laughs and goes to answer her when Barret finally manages Marlene’s request. Andrea blinks and grins wildly when a </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> familiar song suddenly echoes from the speakers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh my god...” He mutters, chuckling to himself as ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Stand Up’</span>
  </em>
  <span> blares through the air. Marlene looks over at him, delight in her big eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You like this song too, Andi?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh yes, very much. Used to play it all the time at my old job in Midgar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That sounds like fun. Me ‘n Betty- she’s my best friend- used to dance to it. A </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Really? Will you show me sometime?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah!” Marlene says, smile huge and toes already tapping as she sways to the music. Andrea can’t help joining her. Humming along to the all too nostalgic tune. Grateful that they’re still in the badlands so he doesn’t feel like he’s missing out on much as closing his eyes. So easy to sink back into memory of countless nights on his stage. So easy to recall the sights, sounds, smells. Makes him ache with a pang of homesickness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You’ll get it back Andi</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He reminds himself, quietly firm as the music shifts to something else. Still familiar, he thinks this one used to play at the bar in Wall Market for a time. But not so heavily steeped in his memories. </span>
  <em>
    <span>All you need is a little more information. Just a little more patience.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rocky terrain is slowly starting to even out and in the distance Andrea can see wisps of lively green starting to crop up. They must be getting close to Kalm by now, he thinks, glancing at his phone. It’s nearing eight thirty now. Suddenly Tifa gasps,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh shoot- Cloud?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Comes his voice over the radio. Tifa turns down the music with a quick apology to Marlene before she continues.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Can you hit Kalm for some marche? I forgot to grab it before we left.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Copy. We’ll catch up with you at the pass.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Thanks a million.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea realizes that Cloud’s been ‘holding back’ as it were. Fenrir roars to life, tearing away from them towards the distant spectre of Kalm. God, he must be travelling upwards of 200 miles an hour. At least. Denzel seems to get an absolute kick out of it, if the short whoop of laughter barely audible over the engine is any indication.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They leave the dead, dusty land behind in short order. Heading towards the mountains. Now they’re free of the uneven terrain, Tifa kicks up her own speed several notches. Andrea can only be grateful the truck’s sturdy as hell as they climb slopes and race down hills as the terrain around them changes. As they drive, Tifa and Barret tell stories of their early adventures. Of their first trip through the pass and to Kalm. Marlene chatters away more about the chocobo’s they’re going to see. Andrea thinks he’s got their names mostly down now; Pops, Misty, Dawn, Piper and one she calls Dumpling (followed by uproarious laughter from Barret).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’re nearing the mountain range when Tifa glances out the side window with a smile. “Ah, there’s our boys.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure enough, Andrea follows her line of sight to see Fenrir’s sleek form racing towards them at no less breakneck speeds than Cloud had left them with. Tifa pulls over at the mouth of the mountain pass and they all take a moment to stretch their legs. Cloud and Tifa shuffling the new foodstuffs into the little cooler they keep in the truck bed. Soon enough though, they’re all piling back into- or onto- their respective rides, Cloud once again leading the way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea doesn’t think he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> seen so much green in one place. Trees sprouting up along the slopes of the towering mountains to their right and sheer cliffs to their left. It’s beautiful and it only seems to grow more so as they travel on. The monsters they see tend to steer clear too, so other than fighting with the slightly rough terrain, it’s smooth going. They breach the other side of the mountains just after eleven. Before them sprawls a scattering more of woodlands and beyond that a large, rolling field of tall grass. Marked only by a tall hill to the distant west and- ah. The tiny cluster of buildings near there must be the ranch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They talk more of course, Barret proves to be an incredibly good- if a little rambling- storyteller. Eating their way through the little bundle of goodies Andrea’d thought to bring along with him. Marlene, ever the little angel, makes sure they set aside some of it for Cloud and Denzel when they stop. Andrea leaves her in charge of making sure they get it when they arrive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s kind of funny, to imagine people living out here in such a small settlement. Though Andrea supposes his perspective on such things is rather warped, given he’s a former resident of Midgar. He can still remember the shock it was, getting to Kalm the first time and realizing walking around the </span>
  <em>
    <span>whole</span>
  </em>
  <span> town would long take an hour or two at most- if even that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure enough they reach the ranch shortly before noon, as Tifa’d predicted. Andrea climbs out, stretching and taking a long breath of air. Though this one has his nose wrinkling a little. Laden with the strong scent of chocobos. Still, compared to the way the Slums used to reek, he’d still call it an improvement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Chocobo Ranch is a quaint series of three buildings. A farmhouse, a silo- or at least he thinks that’s what they call it- and a large barn- nearly three times the side of the house. Out front there’s a huge, fenced off area with a small flock of chocobo’s happily wandering around. Eating and soaking up the sun. Some of them perk up at the sound of the engines and the sight of people, but others just go about their business.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both Denzel and Marlene almost immediately sprint towards the birds, climbing up on the fence and waving. Shouting different names in greeting. Tifa hauls the cooler off towards the farmhouse and Barret goes to join the kids. Andrea hovers a moment, torn between going along and waiting for Cloud who’s fussing with something on Fenrir.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andi, come meet Pops!”</span>
</p>
<p><span>In the end it’s Marlene calling him over to come meet one of their birds that wins him over. Dutifully Andrea heads over to her and the bird that’s wandered over out of the flock. Marlene’s sitting on the top rung of the fence, ruffling the large birds yellow feathers playfully. The chocobo takes the child’s enthusiasm happily, trilling and. Well. He’d be rather hard pressed to call it</span><em><span> warking</span></em><span> OR</span><em><span> kwehing</span></em><span>.</span> <span>Andrea immediately realizes what Marlene meant about this bird’s voice being...</span><em><span>unique</span></em><span>. The dancer has to bite back a laugh at the slightly broken kazoo-like wheeze Pops makes instead of the classic sounds he’s used to.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hello Pops. It’s nice to meet you. Andrea says, pausing just before the fence. Marlene giggles as the bird chirps at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>He’s my favourite, but don’t tell the others that.” Marlene whispers conspiratorially. Andrea nods solemnly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not a word.” He swears. “Which others are yours?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marlene points them out eagerly. Piper- or Pip- is hovering close to them. Watching with a slightly mischievous glint to her dark eyes. Two of the others are very easy to spot among the pack. There’s a bright teal-y blue one and a lime green one. Until that moment Andrea hadn’t realized Chocobos could come in more than just the classic yellow shade. Marlene calls them Misty and Dumpling respectively. Barret laughing at the green bird's name has Andrea prying the story out of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well you see, he’s got two names that one. Courtesy of Yuffie of course. We called him Dumpling and Yuffie gets all confused. Starts claiming we oughta just called him ‘Chicken’ instead, cuz of his personality.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>So then, his name is-?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Chicken Dumpling.” Both Denzel and Marlene chime helpfully and yes. Okay, Andrea can definitely understand the laughter now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Never shoulda let her near this place.” Cloud mutters coming up behind him as Andrea just manages to get his own chuckles under control. He turns to Cloud with a slightly apologetic grin. Cloud sighs and reaches out to pat Pops on the beak.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh hey all. Glad you could make it out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From the bard appears a lanky boy in overalls and a mussed up, white and green t-shirt. A brown cowboy hat sits slightly crooked atop his head, plumed with a class long Chocobo feather. He lopes over to them easily, gap toothed grin charming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey Billy.” Cloud greets the boy with a wave which the lad returns. He can’t be more than a few years older than Denzel, but he carries himself in a familiar way. This one’s used to working and working hard Andrea recognizes. And he very clearly loves what he does. And Andrea can’t help but notice a familiar set to his features. He wonders if Sam’s related to him somehow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You’re a new face ‘round here. Got a name?” Billy asks as he nears them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andrea.” The dancer answers, offering a hand. The one that shakes his back is just as tough and callous ridden as he’d suspected.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well nice to meet ya. Gonna go see yer lady finally, Cloud?” Cloud nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>In a bit. How’s Dawn?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh she’s doing fine. Ain’t her first rodeo after all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Heh. True. Thanks for keepin’ an eye out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sure, sure.” Billy replies, waving him off as he turns towards the others. “’llo Barret. Hey Den. Hey Marlene.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud starts walking around the perimeter eyes on the flock as he goes. Andrea follows along.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You ever been ‘round chocobo’s before?” Cloud asks after a moment, glancing at him. Andrea shakes his head, smile a little rueful.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Can’t say I have. They’ve never liked me much. Well, at least Sam’s didn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Huh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nothing. It’s just funny.” Cloud says with a casual shrug. “Most animals don’t like me, ‘cept them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That surprised Andrea for some reason. He’s not really sure why. Still he doesn’t pry and soon enough Cloud seems satisfied with whatever inspection he’s been doing. He gestures for Andrea to follow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>C’mere.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They slip into the barn proper, the scent of Chocobo, hay and gysahl greens amplifies threefold. Andrea almost sneezes reflexively, but holds it back and follows along as Cloud heads deeper into the building. A young girl ducks out past them, waving as she goes. Cloud tells him it’s Billy’s sister Chole, a bright young girl with an uncanny knack for picking out a chocobo’s real potential. They walk past largely empty stalls, though there’s one that houses a stunning chocobo with coal black feathers. There’s a nameplate with the name Dawn scribbled across it in a messy hand. Ah, that’s who Cloud and Billy were talking about. As they near the back Andrea hears an inquisitive little chirp. Cloud stops in front of the next door and gestures inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>This is Muninn and she’s the queen ‘round here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea’s not sure what he expected, but it certainly wasn’t the </span>
  <em>
    <span>sun</span>
  </em>
  <span> in feathery form. The chocobo’s feathers are a much deeper, richer color than he’s ever seen. Glossy to the point it almost looks like each feather is lined with a polished golden filigree. Glowing in the warm afternoon sunshine.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh my god.” Andrea says, “She’s beautiful.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>She’s spoiled as hell is what she is.” Cloud grumbles, even as he reaches into the feed bag hanging on the wall and plucks out a handful of ripe greens. He tosses one to Andrea and gestures for him to follow as Cloud steps into the stall, pressing Muninn back. Andrea closes the gate behind him and lingering against the wall as Cloud wanders over towards the magnificent bird. Her bright, intelligent eyes glint as she chirps at him. Golden feathers ruffling as she steps closer to Cloud and in a move quick as lightning lunges for the green in his hand. But Cloud sidesteps her with ease, clicking his tongue with a stern “Ah, ah, ah. Knock it off.” and pushing firmly at her neck. He sighs, rolling his eyes and glances wryly at Andrea. “See what I mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea laughs, “Oh yes. And I’m sure you had nothing at all to do with that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud holds his silence on that front. Stubborn and adorable. He runs his free hand down Muninn’s neck, jerking his chin at Andrea. “Come on. She won’t bite. You get to be the ‘good guy’ after all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ah. Andrea thinks with a chuckle. That’s a rather clever tactic. Still there’s a touch of caution to his step as he moves towards them. Those wide, round eyes turn to him and Muninn peers at him thoughtfully. Andrea offers the bird a smile and holds out the green. She flaps her wings, giving a bright </span>
  <em>
    <span>wark</span>
  </em>
  <span> of cheer and snatches it from his hand. Delicately though, with little more than a brush of her beak against his skin. Still the treat seems to appease her and she settles enough that Andrea feels confident enough to reach out and run his fingers down her neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’ve never seen a chocobo with her coloring before.” Andrea says after a moment studying the lovely creature. Cloud hums, absently stroking her back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Mm. They’re pretty rare. ‘s one reason she’s so spoiled.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud says it with that deliberate casualness. The one that makes Andrea eye the bird a little differently. Wonders if he’s standing in a room with a creature as rare as his rose. Because of course whether that’s the case or not, Cloud wouldn’t make a big deal out of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Muninn’s finished munching on the green Andrea offered her and looks at him with big, surprisingly dark blue eyes. Chirping at him in a way that almost sounds like an order. Cloud tosses another of the greens and Andrea feels very firmly planted in the bird’s ‘good books’ as she eats this one straight from his hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>She likes you.” Cloud says, watching them. Andrea glances over, smiling as he arches a brow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I take it that’s unusual?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>She can be pretty picky.” Cloud replies, wandering away towards the door. “Figured you two’d get along though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yep. Since you got that in common.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Is that right?” Andrea replies, trying and failing quite miserably to hide a grin. Tag-teamed quite unfairly by that subtle pleased glint in Cloud’s eyes as he steps out and the way Muninn’s nudging against him, shifting to get his fingers in all the right spots.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Aww. Hello there lovely girl.” Andrea says, carefully running his fingers through her crown of longer feathers. The tilt of them reminds him a little of Cloud’s hair. “You shouldn’t listen to him. I’m not </span>
  <em>
    <span>picky</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I just have a particular eye.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud snorts under his breath as he comes back, a sack slung over one shoulder. Andrea finally extracts himself from Muninn’s attention. Leaving her to gobble up the feed Cloud’s leaves spread in the low trough. He wanders towards the far wall noting the shelves lining the wall and peers closer at the myriad of medals and trophies lining it. Realizes when he reads the words “Grand Prix” for the third time in a row what he’s looking at.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You were a jockey.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea’s starting to think, as the days go by, that his surprise at Cloud has less to do with everything he’s capable of and far more so the simple fact that Andrea keeps being surprised by the breadth of the man’s talents.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmm?” Cloud says, glancing over from where he’s leaned against the wall, fiddling with his phone. When he sees what Andrea’s looking at though, Cloud shrugs and nods. “Oh. Yeah. For a while anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Andrea can pry further into just how the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> Cloud had gotten into Chocobo racing of all things there’s a sound of footsteps outside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey Money!” Denzel chimes with a grin as he hops up to lean over the door. Muninn trots over and shoves her head against the boy’s, making the gate rattle. He giggles, catching himself and stroking her beak. “You gonna take her out Cloud?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud nods with a quiet hum. “She needs to stretch her legs.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Can I take Misty?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sure. Need a hand getting her saddled?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nah that’s okay. Billy and Chole said they’d help.” Denzel replies, waving to them before he hopes down and runs off back towards the front of the barn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“’</span>
  <span>Money’?” Andrea echoes, a grin hovering at the edge of his lips. Cloud sighs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Long, stupid joke ‘bout my mercenary work.” He says, waving Andrea’s curiosity off. “You wanna come for a ride?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea blinks, mildly surprised by the offer. “I...I’ve never ridden before.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>s’okay. We can set you up on Pops. He’s really good with newbie’s.” Something flickers through the back of Cloud’s eyes. Gaze dropping away briefly as they slip out of the stall and head for the small tack room. “You don’t have to. The other’s are gonna be sticking around the farm if you’d rather stay here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea leans against the creaky door as Cloud heads into the room. “Well, I wouldn’t want to intrude. I’m sure Denzel would like to spend time with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>He’s the one who invited you out here.” Cloud replies, reaching up on the wall to unhook a sleek leather bridle. “He won’t mind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Ah...well, I suppose you’re right.” A smile breaks over Andrea. Fond and slightly stunned. It’s a bit strange to be an apparent part of a ‘group’ again. “Sounds fun then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Grab that bridle there and that saddle, then. I’ll get Muninn ready and meet you by the corral.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea grabs both of them and heads back out of the barn. The early afternoon sunshine warms him right through to his bones. Tifa’s sitting on the top run along on the fence, smile peaceful as she watches the four kids frolicking with the birds out in the field. Misty’s already geared up, reins looped easily around a near fence post as she calmly munches on greens Tifa slips her. Andrea slings the saddle over the fence a little way’s from her then leans in the space between. Tifa glances over at him, red eyes sparkling with quiet mirth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>The boys badger you into joining them?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea laughs, “I didn’t take much convincing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It’s really fun if you’ve never been before.” Tifa assures him, then narrows her eyes. “Please tell me Cloud’s setting you up with Pops.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea chuckles and nods, “Cloud said he was the kindest to people of my negative skill set.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m sure you’ll catch on quick. They’re smart and Pops likes to take it easy anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Good to know. Otherwise I have a feeling it’d be like learning to walk in heels all over again.” Tifa giggles, making an attempt to stifle it. She’s sweet, that’s for certain. Andrea gently nudges her with an elbow. “Slight change in topic, but I’ve been meaning to ask you something for a while.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What’s up?” There’s a familiar lilt to Tifa’s voice. Andrea’s started to notice more and more how eager she is to jump in and help. To try and fix a problem- even only the potential of one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I was wondering if you’d let me know when you’re free next. Even if it’s just for a few hours, I’d love for us to spend some time getting to know one another. Girl’s night out as it were- though it doesn’t have to be an evening of course. I know you’re busy with the bar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh, really?” There’s a note of genuine surprise in Tifa’s voice that makes Andrea’s chest ache a little. Vows to himself again to do better by this kind young woman. “I- yeah! That sounds like loads of fun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Wonderful.” Andrea replies, bright smile taking a bit of a softer touch at the delight in her ruby eyes. The sound of a cheery </span>
  <em>
    <span>wark</span>
  </em>
  <span> and footsteps behind them get them both to turn as Cloud leads Muninn out of the bard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hands her reins wordlessly and Tifa smiles, cooing at the bird as she strokes her pretty feathers. Then he hops the fence in one of those surprising moves, a single jump to the top rail then dropping easily back down on the other side. Cloud grabs the bridle Andrea brought and motions for the dancer to come with him. They cross the pen to where Pops is grazing. He glances at them lazily, squeaking at them with that silly little wheeze of his.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey buddy.” Cloud says as he walks up to the bird’s side, patting his neck lightly. He holds out the bridle, jingling it a little. “Wanna get outta here for a bit?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The chocobo straightens, eyeing the tack curiously. Then he ruffles his feathers and makes a hoarse little peep of a sound. Cloud slips him easily and quickly into the bridle then passes the reins to Andrea as he takes the saddle. Andrea reaches out to pat the bird’s carrot orange beak.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well dear Pops, my life is in your hands.” Andrea says, chuckling when he catches Cloud’s little eye roll and quiet sigh. He finishes checking over the straps and steps back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Okay, he’s good to go. Ready?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I think so.” Andrea says, eyeing the bird a touch skeptically. “There a trick to this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Brace both hands on his back and push yourself up. You can use the piece at the back for a better hold if you need. Quicker you can get your other leg over, the less likely you are to land on your ass.” Cloud replies wryly. Andrea can’t help laughing. Cloud shrugs his shoulders lightly. “I can give you a boost if you need.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Such faith in me.” Andrea teases. Looking over the saddle a moment more before he shrugs internally. Nothing ever got done dallying about. Keeping the reins wrapped around one hand, Andrea does as Cloud instructed. Pops shifts a little under him, but holds surprisingly sturdy and still as Andrea manages to swing his leg up and over. The raised back pushes him forward a touch, pressing to the small of his back so his legs fall to hang comfortably in front of Pops’ wings. He takes up the reins properly and glances down at Cloud with a half grin. There’s something bright in those pretty eyes. Something Andrea almost wants to call pride before he nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nice work.” Cloud says, all business. “Shift your weight, left to right then back. I just want to make sure it’s cinched properly. He’s usually pretty good, but it’s been a while since any of us have ridden. So they can be pests about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea does as asked, noting with a quiet sort of fondness that Pops shifts under him. Almost like the bird’s trying to prevent a fall. But the saddle stays in place, and obviously Cloud’s happy with it because he nods again and pats the Pops neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Okay. Denzel!” He pitches his voice, ringing clear across the field. “Mount up. We’re headed out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘’</span>
  <span>Kay!” Comes the immediate reply and Andrea can see the boy jogging over towards where Misty and Tifa are waiting. Cloud steps back from Andrea and points towards the gate a few feet away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Lead him over that way. You can tap him with the reins or with your heels. Doesn’t take much, they like to be on the move. Even this lazy ass. You want him to stop, you give him a tug. You can talk to ‘em too. They’re pretty damn smart.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea nods and nudges Pops with his heels. True to Cloud’s word, the bird chirps and starts forward at a leisurely pace. Cloud jogs ahead of them to get the gate open to let them pass. Pops perks up a bit, turning towards the open plain beyond, but Andrea tugs him back gently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Whoa there, big fellow.” He says, patting the bird's neck gently as he stops easily with only a faint rustle of feathers. One big brown eye peeks back at him as Pops turns his head. Andrea smiles, “You’ll go easy on me, won’t you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Almost in answer Pops chirps, that endearing little wheeze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Denzel rides up beside him a moment later, giving Andrea a big grin. “Tifa said you haven’t gotten to go riding before.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>That’s right.” Andrea concedes with a nod. Denzel returns it, tugging at Misty’s reins when the bird shifts beneath him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I hadn’t either till I started living with them. But it’s easy and really fun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a bright flash of color in the corner of Andrea’s eye and a moment later Cloud rides up astride Muninn. Andrea thought she looked like sunshine incarnate in the barn, but out here she’s all but actually glowing in the warm light. She’s also an absolute bundle of energy, dancing and </span>
  <em>
    <span>warking </span>
  </em>
  <span>with clear impatience as Cloud draws her to a halt a little ways ahead of them. The blond glances back, twisting easily in the saddle. The style of it’s different from theirs. Sleek and flat. Obviously meant for speed. And it leaves plenty of space for Cloud to be fully kitted out with his sword. The sight of it’s a little trip of gut churning thrill. A reminder that they’re about to head back out into the open world. The inherent dangers that entails.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You ready?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yep!” Denzel replies cheerily. Andrea chuckles at the boy’s catchy enthusiasm and nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yessir.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Have fun you three!” Tifa calls after them as they head off the grounds. Denzel turns to wave at her, then turns to coax Misty into a faster trot as he heads closer to Cloud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>So where’re we going?” Denzel asks a little ways out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>East into the field. I don’t want to risk going anywhere near the marsh. It’s warm enough now the Zolom’s are bound to be out again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What’s a Zolom?” Andrea asks, genuinely curious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Thirty foot long snake.” Cloud replies without skipping a beat. Which is rather unfair given the way Andrea’s heart does.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What the actual fuck? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Andrea thinks very fervently but doesn’t say. Cloud must catch something in his expression though because he pulls Muninn back a step.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t worry. They don’t leave the marsh. And we’re headed away from it anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah, but you could take one out anyway. Right Cloud?” Denzel says, so much certainty and pride in his voice that it makes Andrea smile. Cloud hums, the sound a little absent. Noncommittal. If he actually intends to answer the boy, he’s interrupted when Muninn</span>
  <em>
    <span> warks</span>
  </em>
  <span> loudly. Wings flaring out as she jolts forward a few steps. Cloud reels her back in with a sigh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Come on. Let’s pick up the pace a bit. She’s being antsy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Denzel seems all too excited by the prospect. Immediately nudging Misty into a faster lope. He springs ahead and Muninn makes a noise that borders on affronted. Andrea remembers the line of trinkets and trophies scattered through her stall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I think you ought to let her run before she explodes.” He says between chuckles. Cloud rolls his bright eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>She’s fine. Just real good with the dramatics.” Cloud says, even as he wrestles her back in hand again. Still, Andrea feels bad and urges Pops into a faster canter. He feels more comfortable with the whole concept now. Realizing there’s a certain rhythm to the motion and sway of the large bird’s body. Make it easy to follow along. They fall into step and stride with the other two and Andrea smiles over at Cloud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Aww, come now. How can you say no to that face?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Easy. I know what's under it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>If you’re worried about me, you don’t need to. Pops has taken very good care of me thus far. We’ll keep up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>No you won’t.” Cloud replies and Andrea blinks at the absolute certainty in his voice. Cloud glances over at him and shakes his head. “That’s not a dig at you or him. She’s. Fast. Real fast.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Show me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud huffs, ruffling the long spikes dangling around his face. He eyes Muninn then the plains ahead of them. Gnaws absently at his lower lip. “We’ll circle back around, but whistle if you need me. Or if you see anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea smiles, warm and fond. Soft as the little puddle his heart wants to melt into. “Yessir. Go on. You two have fun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Spoiled as hell.” Cloud mutters under his breath. Still he nods, shifting a little in the saddle. Muninn’s energy too seems to shift as Cloud moves. Flowing down into a low arching curve along her neck. Reminds Andrea a little of the way he rides his bike. “Alright. Let’s go girl.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s barely a transition, Muninn taking off like a bullet across the flat terrain. Racing across the ground so fast that they catch up to and pass Denzel in a matter of seconds despite the boy’s lead. Denzel starts and Andrea catches the cry of, “Hey- no fair!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pops perks up, but the sweet boy only ruffles his feathers instead of chasing after the other two. Andrea pats his neck and gives him a little tap of the reins. “Well, we won’t let them show us up now will we, dear boy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Chocobo </span>
  <em>
    <span>warks</span>
  </em>
  <span> his charming little warble and lops forward into an easy, but quick gait. It takes a moment for Andrea to fit himself back into the new pace, but he manages it with a quiet thrill of pride and a grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They catch up to Denzel after a few minutes, he and Misty having slowed their pace a little. Denzel looks over at him, his slight pout morphing into a smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey Andi. Having fun?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Loads.” Andrea replies easily, “Pops is taking very good care of me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The boy giggles, “Yeah he’s who I learned on too. He’s sweet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>He is that.” Andrea replies, look ahead of them. Cloud and Muninn are little more than bright specs in the distance. “Goodness, Cloud wasn’t kidding when he said Muninn was fast, was he?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nope. They won a whole bunch of races at the Golden Saucer. Money’s the reigning champ. Or, well.” Denzel’s enthusiasm dies down a little. “She was until Cloud got sick. I don’t think he’s taken her back there since.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Denzel’s obvious melancholy bleeds into Andrea’s own chest. Poor boy. It can’t be easy to be reminded of the disease. Especially when its influence can still be felt. Shadowing the edges of people’s memories. A giant, dark stain on their world, especially so soon after Meteorfall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well there’s always this year or next, no?” Andrea replies with a careful smile. “I’ll help you badger him a bit if you like. I’d love to visit the Saucer one day. What better excuse than going to watch a race?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Heh, yeah. That’d be really fun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well, then I’ll see if I can’t plant the idea.” Andrea says offering the boy a wink. Denzel chuckles and nods and the two of them ride on. There’s a bit of an odd quality to the air as they do. Something cool and almost...salty?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They travel side by side a while, Andrea pulling Denzel back out of his darker musing by asking silly, mundane questions about his school, his friends. Cloud loops back around them after a while, as he said he would. Muninn still looks lively and ready to go. But the borderline nervous energy that was buzzing around her earlier has dissipated. Cloud’s hair is adorably windswept and messy. His eyes super bright. Andrea has to bite his tongue to stop himself from saying something wholly inappropriate for the company they keep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The three of them continue on. No real destination in mind as Cloud has said. Just enjoying the open plain and fresh air. Cloud keeps a keen eye out, steering them clear of monsters and such, though he assures Andrea the birds can outrun anything out here just fine. So they do loops and laps around each other. Andrea gaining more and more confidence as time drifts on and under the encouragements of the others.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>C’mon you two. We should be getting back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud’s voice breaks over the quiet and Andrea shields his eyes as he glances up. The sun’s well past it’s zenith so they’ve been out here a few hours now. Andrea’s starting to feel it too, a slight soreness to his legs but nothing awful. Denzel pouts a little, but they follow as Cloud turns them back towards the ranch, barely more than a little blob of shapes in the distance with how far they’d travelled. Andrea’s a little surprised how far they made it out, and even more so by how quickly the trip back seems in comparison.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s chocobos that greet them as they ride back in. Tifa, Marlene and Barret nowhere to be seen. Cloud leads them into the barn though and Andrea hears their voices from somewhere nearby. Cloud swings down easily and Denzel follows him with a little more scrabbling. The boy lets out a quiet groan as he stretches. Andrea chuckles and follows them-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And </span>
  <em>
    <span>immediately </span>
  </em>
  <span>understands. Winces as the subtle ache flares into something much sharper and stiffer. A firm hand catches his arm as he stumbles a step. Looks up to see Cloud watch him, something torn between concern and apology on his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sorry. Should’ve warned you about that.” Andrea chuckles and waves him off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Just a bit of soreness. I’ve dealt with far worse.” Indeed the sharpness is already easing down into a dull throb. No more bothersome than a good day’s workout honestly. He can understand it of course. All that tensing and shifting to keep himself in the saddle. It only makes sense there’d be ‘repercussions’ as it were.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Billy and his sister appear to help Denzel with Misty. Marlene darts out of one of the nearby stalls too heading right for them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Can I help with Pops?” She asks, skittering to a half. The bird dips his head to let her pet him, cooing in his raspy voice. Tifa follows along behind the girl, as does Barret.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey you guys. Have fun?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Denzel’s quick to fill them in on all the details of course. Andrea passes Pops off to Marlene with a fond farewell pat. Cloud taps his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>C’mon. You can help me with Money.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea follows in Cloud’s wake as they head back to Muninn’s stall. The chocobo seems a little miffed to be put away again, but settles quickly when Cloud offers her a bribe of more greens. Andrea hovers back as Cloud strips her of her gear, volunteering to take it back to the tack room. Cloud thanks him as he hands it over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hurrying down the main aisle, Andrea peeks into the stall Marlene’s and the others came out of and smiles. Settled happily inside is the expecting choco-mom. Dawn, Andrea thinks he remembers Marlene calling her on the trip here. Apparently the others have been busy little bees while they were away because the whole stalls trussed up with cute little streamers, ribbons and drawings. He’d recognize Marlene’s handwork just about anywhere by now- specially after her invite card.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tifa helps show him where Muninn’s gear goes since she’s in there putting away the other two bird’s anyway. He thanks her with a grin which she returns before splitting off to go help out. Andrea trots back to Muninn’s stall to find Cloud gently rubbing her down with a round, flat brush of some sort. He’s talking to her quietly, so quiet that Andrea can’t quite make out the words. But there’s a sweet, fond light in those beautiful eyes. Andrea watches him for a moment then steps forward. He glances over at Andrea, a gentle focus to his gaze. Andrea smiles and gestures.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Show me how?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud blinks at him, surprise flickering bright in his eyes. The something like a smile curls in the edge of his mouth. He tips his chin towards the other implements hanging on the wall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Grab that other brush.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea does so and moves over to stand beside Cloud. The blond shuffles a little to the side so Andrea can see properly as he runs it over the beautiful, glossy feathers. Straightening them out from where they’d been mussed during the ride. Easing a few loose ones free. It seems simple enough and Cloud largely lets Andrea take over once he’s satisfied with the dancer’s technique. Kneeling down instead to inspect Muninn’s talons.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s strangely soothing. To watch the slow, rhythmic strokes bring out even more of the feather’s sheen. And Muninn’s being, well, good as ‘gold’ as it were. Just a few ruffles and quiet chirps as she lets them pamper her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s a little like coming out of meditation, blinking back to awareness once he’s run out of feathers. He looks around and spots Cloud leaning back against the wall across from him. Something peaceful in his expression as he watches. Andrea smiles and sketches a bow as he gestures to Muninn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well, how’s she look?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Not bad for your first time.” Cloud says, coming over. Bright, critical eyes trailing over her. Muninn shoves her face into his and Cloud huffs with fond annoyance. Catching her and scratching just behind the curve of her jaw. “She seems happy, too. Be proud.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>With praise like that, how could I be anything else?” Andrea teases with a chuckle. Even so, there’s a faint fluttering of butterflies in his chest at the small, sunrise smile as Cloud ducks behind her neck in the guise of further inspection. They make sure the lovely bird is both fed and watered before they head out. They’re the last ones in the barn by then. The others have vanished off to the main house. Andrea can hear the distant echo of voices and laughter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Cloud doesn’t head towards the farm house. Instead he trudges back towards the pen and Andrea follows along, curious. But Cloud’s quiet as he stops along the fence. He gazes out over the flock. Andrea joins him. That strange, humming serenity settles over Andrea again as he lets himself just exist in the moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>So.” Cloud pipes up after a few minutes, turning to lean back against the fence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Mm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I-uh. What’d you think?” Cloud shifts in place, leaning a little more of his weight back against the fence as he folds his arms across his chest. “I know it’s just. This-” He makes a little dismissive gesture with one hand, “But as far as getting your feet wet...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a tentative furrow on Cloud’s brow as he side eyes the dancer. Something flickers in Andrea’s chest. A lingering candle that sparks bright and burning through his veins. Oh this darling boy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well, for something you’d call ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>just</span>
  </em>
  <span>’...” And Andrea can’t help the slightly incredulous note in his voice at the very idea. But he tucks it behind a slow grin, stepping closer. “I’d say you succeeded in wetting my appetite.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh yeah?” There’s a note of genuine surprise under Cloud’s voice. Endearing and sweet paired with that slightly cheeky arched brow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Indeed.” Andrea hums, gently catching Cloud’s chin on the side of his finger. Tilting his face up a touch as he leans in. Watching those bright beautiful eyes. It’s strange. He hadn’t thought it possible, for them to be even more vibrant. But it’s so clear to him, standing this close. There’s a light, a </span>
  <em>
    <span>life,</span>
  </em>
  <span> to them out here that he’d never seen before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He belongs out here.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Andrea thinks, something twisting a little inside him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Out here in his big, wide world</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So why, then, does Cloud fit so well against him. Close and safe in his arms...?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You’re thinking too much.” Cloud says, the words brushing against Andrea’s skin as Cloud arches up to kiss him. A sure fire way to shut up any wayward thoughts in his head. All of it sublimating down into a soft, pastel watercolor static. The easiest thing on the planet to settle into the familiar haze. Curling an arm around Cloud’s trim waist. Pulling him close. Cloud’s hands settle against his chest. Sunshine warm and solid. A perfect compliment to the brush and press of their lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Lucky for me you’re so good at stopping that, hmm?” Andrea whispers with a grin as they part. Cloud rolls his eyes with a sigh. But Andrea sees that tiny smile threatening to break free. Nuzzles the ends of their noses together, following Cloud’s half hearted attempts to duck him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Knock it off.” Cloud grumbles and Andrea chuckles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Aww, come now lovely.” Andrea slides his fingers against Cloud’s cheek, tucking at his hair. Cloud’s eyes flicker back to him. Stops trying to dodge him as Andrea’s hand curls gently against his jaw. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> I’m lucky.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud sighs against him. That quiet uncertainty hovering in the back of his gaze. But he stays where he is as Andrea catches his lips again. Smiling soft as Cloud presses back into the touch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yo, Cloud! Where’d you- oh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Between the fence and Andrea there’s not really anywhere to go. But somehow he still manages to jump away like a startled rabbit as Barret’s voice reaches them. Those two toned eyes stare, wide and startled over the dancer’s shoulder. Andrea steps back and looks over to where Barret’s standing, his dark eyes flitting between them both</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>So, ‘friends’ is it?” Barret says at length, rubbing a hand against his chin. There’s a quiet scoff behind his words. It prickles at Andrea a little, but he pushes it back. Cloud seems tense, but it’s not the same kind of tension Andrea’s felt in him before- like that night at </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oasis</span>
  </em>
  <span>. More. Unsure, perhaps?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What’d you want?” Cloud asks the other man, a note of sharpness under his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What? Ya think I give a shit, Spike? Get over yourself.” Barret replies. A very particular kind of annoyed defensiveness to his words. He waves his free hand between them. “I’m just impressed ya found someone who’ll put up with your prickly ass. Figured it was something like this anyway, after the other day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud shifts at his side and Andrea quietly tucks the urge to reach out for him back. Doesn’t want to make Cloud even more uncomfortable. Instead he just leans his weight a little, pressing into Cloud’s space. Those bright eyes dart to his for a heartbeat, something flickering through them. But before either of them can speak, Barret sighs heavily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Quite skulking around with your tail between your legs. You’re better than that son.” Barret says with all the vigour of a man used to giving pep talks and speeches. Andrea would know. But there’s also a gentleness to his words. Something this side of fond in his dark eyes. “Just came to tell ya Bill invited us for an early supper.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Right. Thanks.” Cloud offers the other man a slightly stiff nod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmph. Sure, whatever man.” Barret turns back to house but pauses, looking back over one broad shoulder. “Oh and, uh, Andrea, was it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes.” Andrea replies evenly. His first impression of Barret being a generally intimidating man seems right on the money at the moment. Those dark eyes narrowed at him, assessing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You be good to him, y’hear.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Surprise ripples through Andrea. Bright and immediately followed by a soft rush of warm fire. His second, and more important, judgment of Barret’s character was apparently also on point. He’s the sort to care about his own. And it might be ridiculous, but Andrea’s so glad that’s the case. Andrea can’t help the way his gaze drifts back to Cloud a moment, who looks quietly stunned. Andrea smiles and meets Barret’s eyes unflinchingly as he nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I intend to be.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmm. Good. That’s real good to hear.” Barret’s smile is wide and open as he waves at them over his shoulder and heads back towards the house. Cloud slumps a little as they’re left alone again. Andrea turns back to him, a flicker of worry in his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Are you alright?” Andrea asks after a minute or two of quiet. Cloud blinks up at him, something briefly startled in his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>H-huh? Oh. Yeah. Yeah I just...” There’s a furrow to Cloud’s brow as his eyes track over towards the farm house. “’s...not how I expected that to go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You didn’t think he’d accept...?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>No. I- that’s not what I meant.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ah. Andrea thinks he gets it now. Cloud expected people to ask questions. Expected to have to ‘explain’ things- to some degree. Not to be ‘caught out’ as it were.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’m sorry-” He starts, but Cloud cuts him off, eyes wide as he shakes his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>No. Don’t be. Told you I’m not ashamed of you.” Cloud says, then sighs. A soft, weary noise as he rakes a hand through his hair. “Nothing to do about it now anyway. ‘sides it’s. Different with him- with them. They’re...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Family?” Andrea asks after Cloud hesitates, fighting himself for words. Andrea smiles a little at the gentle relief in Cloud’s face when he nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Yeah. So it’s. Fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Okay.” Andrea says softly, smiling a little when Cloud meets his eyes again. Cloud looks at him quietly for a minute. Something unreadable in those bright eyes. Then he jerks his head towards the house.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>C’mon. We should go. Gotta be outta here in an hour if we don’t want to be driving in the dark.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea knows he’s right, but can’t quite bring himself to follow even as Cloud edges past him. Something buzzing in his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud?” He calls and the other stops, glancing back, one brow arched in question. “Thank you, truly. For today, I mean.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“’</span>
  <span>s the kid’s idea.” Cloud dismisses with a shrug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>And I’ll be sure to thank them too.” Andrea replies as he reaches out to catch Cloud’s wrist. Tugging gently until the other looks at him again. “But it’s because of </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> that I have the chance to do something like this. You let me into your world. Of course I’m grateful for that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I.” Cloud starts, but stops almost immediately. His free hand lurching up to rub the back of his neck. Eyes darting. “That’s-. It’s not a big deal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It is to me.” Andrea says, meeting Cloud’s wide eyes with a smile. “You forget, my whole world up until a few years was nothing but steel skies and lamp suns. Not...</span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andrea makes a grand, sweeping gesture out to the world around them. To the farmhouse and barn. The silo and paddocks. And beyond even that, to the mountains and marsh. There’s so much of it, sprawling out in every direction it still makes Andrea’s head spin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s breathtaking. Almost to the point of being painful. Incredible and beautiful. So much more so than he’d ever imagined. And this is just a small piece of it. Not at all what he’d ever pictured. Not at all what he’d ever imagined. And for that, it’s weirdly perfect.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seems to be a running theme in his life these days, Andrea thinks, glancing over at Cloud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not one he’s inclined to complain about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well...” Cloud mumbles a little, sweetly shy as he dodges Andrea’s gaze with his own. “’m glad it wasn’t a bad first step.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It was wonderful.” Andrea assures him, fingers gently squeezing around Cloud’s wrist. He goes to let the other go so they can be on their way, but Cloud catches his hand before it can fall away. There’s a pull, Andrea stumbles a step and the next instant his lips are on Cloud’s again. The blond rocking up on his toes so they’re pressed together firmly. Andrea gasps quietly though his nose, a smile threatening the edges of his mouth when he feels Cloud’s strong, slim fingers wind through his. Squeezes back when Cloud does.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even with the late afternoon sunlight against them, it doesn’t feel as warm as the heated sweetness racing through Andrea’s blood. That lingers even as they part with a faint sound. Cloud’s eyes flicker to his, something flickering behind them before he ducks away, forehead resting against the curve of Andrea’s shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s been hearing that word from Cloud’s lips all too often the past while. And there’s absolutely no reason for it here- now. Andrea sighs, brushing his thumb against Cloud’s hand slowly, tipping his head down to press his lips to Cloud through his hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nothing to be sorry for, beautiful.” He murmurs, curling his free hand up around Cloud’s shoulders and pulling him in tight. Cloud nods against him, letting out a slow breath. A weight to the sound Andrea can’t quite place. Still feels like an apology. Like something...overwhelmed, maybe? “Cloud?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You know I’m listening too, don’t you?” Cloud makes a confused little noise against and Andrea smiles faintly, “If you want to talk, I mean. About anything. Anytime.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...I know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>And that’s not pressure, either. I told you I’d give you time and I meant it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah. I know.” Cloud says, a little more certain this time. His free arm lifts and curls around the dancer’s waist for a moment. “Or, well. ‘m starting too. I think.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Glad to hear it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Thanks, Andrea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Of course, sweetheart.” Andrea presses a kiss to Cloud’s head again gently. “Come on. I don’t know about you, but I’m starved.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud huffs, that faint edge of a laugh to the sound and steps back. Those bright eyes meet Andrea’s a moment before the blond lets him go. Tucking his hands into his pockets as he heads off towards the ranch house. Andrea follows close behind with a grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Cloud ducks inside, Andrea pauses, glancing back over the ranch behind them. Out over the wide world beyond. Hums and nods to himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not a bad first step at all. But he’d meant what he’d said. It’s only wet his appetite for more. Screw just getting his feet wet next time. Andrea wants to go </span>
  <em>
    <span>swimming</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Muninn is Old Norse: Memory! (but Money was too good a puny pun to pass up. I accept the fact I'm the only one giggling at it.)</p>
<p>Also, next chapter is basically written (has been for a WHILE) 'cept a few scenes, so really hope to get it out in time for the three month anni. *fingers crossed* </p>
<p>Also! If you added my on PSN- please drop me a message...I'm real bad with names and added people without keeping note of who's who...THANKS!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Special Delivery</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Holy. Shit. Gang. My beautiful wonderful darling readers. It's been literally three months. THREE. MONTHS! Where did the time go? How? What even? God!</p><p>I love you all. Dearly. I feel like I need to say it. Because heck. You all are amazing souls.</p><p>Please PLEASE do me a solid today too! Take a moment to say thanks to Avasti in the comments. They're a champion of the the FUCKING UNIVERSE and got my fixes back to me so I could post it today. Bless them and all their hard work!</p><p>Edit: Also, dang. We crossed 150K with this...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Fine. Keep me posted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The knot that’s wound itself through Andrea’s gut seizes tighter at Cloud’s distant, business-like tone. At the weary, tense sigh as he drops his phone and tucks it away again. The call had come just as they were finishing supper at the Ranch. Andrea’d known what- or rather </span>
  <em>
    <span>who</span>
  </em>
  <span>- it was the moment he saw Cloud’s expression. Had trailed him outside as he left to answer it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now Cloud’s finished Andrea steps around from the side of the building he’s been hovering behind. Cloud doesn’t notice him at first, gazing out into the distance. That awful furrow on his brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>They found it?” Andrea asks, offering Cloud an apologetic smile when the other jerks around. Gaze startled. Cloud must’ve been deep in his head if he hadn’t heard him. Those two toned eyes bright in against the late afternoon sun. Cloud sighs, that lurking tension still hovering around his shoulders as he nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>How soon do they expect...?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Tonight. Soon as we get back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea flinches. Fuck. “It can’t wait?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I.” Cloud gnaws at the edge of his lower lip, brow furrowed. “It could, but.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something heavy falls to settle in Andrea’s stomach. He’s not quite sure what he feels at the moment. Worry, certainly. Especially as Cloud curls into himself subtly. Arms crossing over his chest. Narrowed eyes turning away to gaze out over the plains. But it’s a lot more than just worry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>The longer I let this sit...” Cloud trails off. Shakes his head. “I just. Want to get it over with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There it is again. That wounded darkness behind Cloud’s bright gaze. The one that needles sharp at Andrea’s heart. He knew it was going to come. But it still feels too soon. Because it’s so clear that Cloud’s planning to do exactly what Andrea’s so worried about- throw himself head first back into Shinra’s mess. And it isn’t that he doesn’t understand Cloud’s desire. To charge forward through the worst of the muck and mire. But still...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I can understand that.” Andrea says, crossing the ground between them. Reaching out to rest a hand against Cloud’s arm. Smiling a little as Cloud glances at him, if only briefly. “But please, be careful?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Mm.” Cloud hums. A mute, absent sound. Stirs something deep down in Andrea’s soul. Makes him move, shifting to stand in front of Cloud, one hand reaching to catch Cloud’s chin in hand. Cloud’s attention snaps to him, surprise widening them. There’s a faint tension across his brow, but all Andrea can think of is how badly Cloud had run himself down. Too easy to remember the weight of his unconscious body in his arms. His too pale complexion. Andrea doesn’t think he could handle that again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud,” He says, voice low. Intent, even with the faint edge of a plea to it. “I mean it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s expression flickers, shifts. Softens. His arms falling from their defensive cross.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...I will.” He replies, voice quiet. Eyes on Andrea’s for a moment before they drop and Cloud amends, “Much as I can, anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not a surprise. But it still stings. God, if there was one thing that Andrea wishes he understood about Cloud, above all others, it’s his painfully evident lack of care for himself. Why he always seems to put himself as something...lesser. Not worth the same care or protection he offers to everyone else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, Andrea won’t push him. Not here, not now. Not after such a lovely day. Besides, Andrea knows what Cloud’s doing carries an inherent level of danger to it. And the fact Cloud’s conceded to it at all, is a good sign really. So Andrea softens, shifting both hands up to cup Cloud’s jaw gently. Smiles when those lovely eyes turn back to his again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>That’s all I ask.” Andrea assures him. Cloud stares at him a moment, another wash of too quick emotion flickering behind his gaze. Then he nods into Andrea’s hold. A silent accord reached between them Andrea can feel it’s weight settle against a fragile piece of his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s noise from the house, the old wood door creaking open. Just audible over the bright swell of voices as the rest of their party spills back out. Andrea lets Cloud go as the other turns towards them. The kids both race over towards the chocobo pen again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Make it quick you two, we gotta get on the road.” Barret calls after them even as they scrabble up over the fence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>We will!” Marlene calls back with a wave. Tifa laughs even as she turns towards where Cloud and Andrea are and wanders towards them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You two ready to head out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud jerks his head towards the barn. “Just wanna check on Dawn again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tifa hums like she expected that. Cloud heads off, disappearing back into the barn while Andrea follows Tifa to help her pack up the few things they’d brought along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Did you have fun today?” Tifa asks as she loads the cooler into the back of the truck, tossing Andrea one end of the strap that holds it down. Andrea grins as he ties it down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Absolutely. Most fun I’ve had in ages.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Glad to hear it.” Tifa says, shoving at the cooler with an impressive amount of force. When it stays it place she nods, satisfied. But her smile flickers a moment later, eyes darting over towards the others- towards the barn. With a sigh she leans her arms against the rim of the truck bed. “He mention when he’s leaving?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea blinks, then silently berates himself for his surprise. Silly, really, to think Tifa isn’t savvy to what’s happening. Though even as he thinks it, Andrea remembers what she’d said. About not being aware of all the details. Wonders, a little startled, if he now knows more than she does, given what Cloud opened up to him about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, that’s an odd feeling. Sits heavy- uncomfortably even- in his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Tonight.” He answers quietly. Tifa nods, a furrow knitting tight across her brow before she shakes her head. Pulls on a smile that Andrea recognizes all too well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well, at least he got the break.” Tifa says, voice full of a carefully crafted level of cheer. She’s very good at it. Probably fools a lot of people with that lovely mask. But Andrea’s certainly not most people. And that makes it all too easy to see the fragile cracks running all throughout it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Poor girl’s much more worried about this than she’s willing to let on. Perhaps even to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea slips around the back of the truck, stops Tifa with a hand on her shoulder as she goes to move away. Her ruby gaze turns back to his, confusion in their depths.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>He told me he’d be careful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>He does that.” Tifa says, smile faltering into something with a sharper, more painful edge. “Doesn’t like people worrying.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>And that just makes us worry more.” Andrea replies, smiles at the startled look that cracks through Tifa’s expression. Much more genuine than the smile had been. Andrea nods to himself, expression taking a bit of a wry twist. “I’ve started to piece that together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Subtle’s not his strong suit, that’s for sure.” She agrees through a breathy chuckle. Andrea nods, because that’s true for a lot of things when it comes to Cloud. “Thanks Andi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>For getting me out of my head. I really should know better by now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t be so hard on yourself, Tifa.” Andrea chides gently, squeezing her shoulder gently before dropping his hand. “I don’t think there’s any shame in showing you worry about someone. That you care. That’s a strength not many have in our world I fear. One you have in spades.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tifa laughs, seems surprised that she is. But Andrea’s smile brightens. Her genuine smile is a much prettier thing. Suits her sweet soul far better than worry. Especially since this is a problem she doesn’t have to face down alone anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The others wander over to them, the kids both looking a little forlorn at the idea of leaving. Casting long looks back over their shoulders. Tifa wraps an arm around Denzel’s shoulders, pulling him into her side and ruffling his hair. Barret scoops Marlene up on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>We’ll be back out here before you know it. Gotta come check on the chicks after all.” Barret says, jostling the girl a little and teasing a smile from her. Denzel pushes at Tifa’s hand, but nods too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud appears from the barn again and Tifa nudges Denzel towards the truck. “Alright everybody, let’s get going. It’s getting late.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Riding with us this time?” Andrea asks, popping open the door as Denzel comes over. The boy nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah. Cloud doesn’t let us ride with him at night.” He says, a put out, but expectant sigh in his voice. Interesting, Andrea thinks, glancing over towards Cloud. Is the danger really that much greater after the sun sets? Not that he has any experience to speak in such matters. Better- safer- to trust the experts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all clamber into the truck, settling in as Cloud slings himself over Fenrir and starts the engine. Billy and Chole wave at the from the house doorway and the kid’s lean over the front seat to return it. Grinning only a touch sheepishly when Tifa tells them to sit back down, signalling Cloud to go ahead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both Denzel and Marlene fall asleep during the last leg of the trip, as they leave behind the pass and head back towards Edge. Seeing the wasteland again, after spending a day out in the verdant wilds makes the sight hit Andrea in a way it never has before. Twisting something deep down inside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strange to think that, until today really, that he hasn’t thought much of it. Thought just how...</span>
  <em>
    <span>obvious</span>
  </em>
  <span> the stain that Shinra- that </span>
  <em>
    <span>Midgar-</span>
  </em>
  <span> left on the world. Had all this once been like the grasslands. Or the forests? Beautiful and bursting with life?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now there’s not a trace of it left. Just dry, dead, dusty earth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s something heinously tragic about that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The radio crackles from the front and Barret reaches out to turn it down a touch, glancing over his shoulder at the kids. They stir a little but don’t wake, even as Cloud’s low voice sounds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Tifa?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Go ahead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You good getting back from here?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeah. We’ll be fine. Do you know how long you’ll be out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Stay in touch then, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mm. Later.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that Cloud breaks away from them. A steam of heavy dust kicking up in his wake as he races off, heading towards the distant, towering shadow of Midgar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>The hell’s that about?” Barret grumbles, looking over at Tifa. The set of his brow heavy even behind his sunglasses. Keeping his eyes safe from the low setting sun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Just a job he’s doing.” Tifa replies. Barret’s frown only deepens. Andrea feels a flicker of surprise. So, it’s not just relative outsiders like himself they’re keeping the details from. That startles Andrea in a way he wasn’t expecting. Why the secrecy, especially from someone Cloud himself more or less admitted to seeing as family?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Andrea holds his tongue. Definitely not his place to interfere here. From the consistency both Tifa and Cloud have when dancing around the subject, it’s clear they have some sort of understanding between them. About what to share and with who.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Tifa-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Barret. Please? Cloud asked me not to talk about it. And even if he hadn’t, I don’t know the details.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Barret sighs and rubs the back of his neck. “Alright. Alright. But you let me know if he starts being...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud?” Tifa replies and Andrea can see her wry smile from the side mirror. Barret huffs a laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Heh. Smartass.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sun’s set by the time they roll up in front of Andrea’s apartment. Tifa climbs out to give him a hug which Andrea happily returns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t forget, let me know when you’re available.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I will.” She agrees with a warm smile. Andrea nods, happy. Leans past her to wave goodbye to Barret. Watches as they drive off before he heads inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What a day...” He murmurs, wandering a little aimlessly. Not surprised when he ends up in front of his rose. Reaches out to stroke the wax coated petals delicately. Puts a faint, tired smile on his lips. Funny, he hadn’t thought travelling would be so exhausting. But he wouldn’t trade it for the world. For anything. Tucks the memories, still buzzing sunshine warm around his head into his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tucks himself into the living room for a few more hours. Sorting through his reports one more time. Hammers the details in again. The promising contact in Kalm still sits at the top of the pile. He’s not surprised of course they asked their identity to be kept hidden. It’s dangerous enough, offering to spill dirt on Don Corneo after all. A game so few were willing to play- and that even less had a chance at success at.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Andrea’s been dancing on this board for years now. If anyone has a shot at victory, he knows it’s him.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s honestly a surprise when Cloud shows up at his door not two days later. Something stormy and irate in his eyes and the furrows of his brow. But Andrea’s all too happy to welcome him back and usher him inside. Especially given how uncertain Cloud had left them all about how long he’d be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Finished so soon?” Andrea asks as Cloud kicks off his shoes and heads off into the living room. Cloud scoffs, the darkness in his expression deepening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>If only.” He grumbles, slinging himself down onto the couch as he strips off his gloves. “Hit a snag. Gotta wait till they figure their shit out. Told ‘em I wasn’t sitting around wasting time waiting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea heads off to the kitchen to fetch them both a large glass of water. He’d only made it home himself not an hour ago. Cloud takes the offered glass with a muted thanks, sipping at it idly. Andrea takes up the spot beside him and the two of them linger in a comfortable silence. Still, Andrea’s mind turns a little, an idea sparking bright in the forefront.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud?” The blond grunts from beside him, head rolled casually back against the couch. Empty glass clutched loosely in his hand. “Have you ever delivered people before?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nope.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Would you be willing to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One of those lovely eyes peeks over at him. “You’ve read our ‘terrible’ slogan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea laughs, if only at the petulant tone of Cloud’s voice. “It </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> terrible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You talking about yourself?” Cloud asks after a moment, turning to look at Andrea properly. The dancer nods, smile a touch tentative.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> hoping to get to Kalm tomorrow...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I can do that.” Cloud volunteers. So easily. Thoughtlessly. So quick to offer up his time and services. Perhaps it’s just context, Cloud seeing it as just a part of the job as it were. But it’s still sweet in Andrea’s eye. Sets both of their glasses on the coffee table and pulls Cloud over as he scoots to meet him partway. Catches that lovely mouth with his own. Soft, but thorough. Cloud hums quietly against him, head tilting slightly to deepen the kiss. Andrea slides a hand into Cloud’s hair gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Thank you.” Andrea murmurs as they part after a moment. Cloud hums with an absent nod, eyes lidded still as he watches the dancer. There’s a thoughtful light in that bright gaze. Andrea waits a moment to see if Cloud will ask whatever question it is that he sees. Absently toying with mussed blond spikes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hey...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes?” Andrea says, brushing a thumb against Cloud’s cheek, eyeing that faint furrow that takes up residence between his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Said you’d tell me. About those dreams.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>So I did.” Andrea concedes as he shifts back so he’s not hovering over Cloud. The blond sits up, shifting to brace his arms across his knees as he leans forward, eyes intent on Andrea. The dancer smiles a little, gaze wandering as he tries to muddle out how he wants to do this. What to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s been. Odd the last few nights. Ever since he’d had that flash of insight, put a name to one of the hazy colors, the dreams seem to have been. Changing. Shifting. In a way Andrea can’t quite put his finger on. It just. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Feels</span>
  </em>
  <span> different when he’s in one lately. Or when he wakes up from them. Oh they’re still unsettling as anything. But the past few nights they haven’t clung to his consciousness the way they have in the past.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well,” Andrea starts, a little uncertain. “It’s like I said. It’s all really vague to be honest. I’m sort of...floating? In this dark space. Sometimes that’s all it is, but usually I can see these odd flashes of color. Gold and silver. Red and green that looks a lot like Mako.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Like your eyes</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Andrea thinks but doesn’t say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>That’s really all there is to it.” Andrea continues, after a moment of quiet. “I mean, sometimes I think I hear someone talking. But I don’t recognize the voice. They say things like ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>hurry</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ and </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘return</span>
  </em>
  <span>’. I think anyway, most of the time it’s quiet or too quick to catch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud nods, his eyes drift away from Andrea’s for the first time since he started talking. Bites at his lower lip and Andrea hears a faint creak of leather as Cloud twists his gloves between his hands. He starts and stops a couple attempts to speak. Finally letting out a frustrated little grunt of a sound. Raking a hand through his hair as his eyes dart back to Andrea’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Is there-” Another lip bite. Another creak. A careful breath drawn. “...Static?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Static?” Andrea blinks, feels his own brow furrow as he tries to parse what Cloud’s talking about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>It’s important.” Cloud says, expression so serious, despite that lingering edge of uncertain worry. Like Cloud knows exactly how strange his words are. Still, Andrea’s no reason not to take him seriously. He thinks it over for a moment, then shakes his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...No. No there’s no static.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s strange. All at once his words seem to both soothe and make Cloud tense. Shoulders falling with a sigh. But his expression stays so painfully serious. Cloud hunches forward a little further, eyes on the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea reaches out, rests a hand on Cloud’s forearm. “They’ve been getting better recently.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud nods, but he still looks troubled. Andrea squeezes a little tighter against him. He seems frustrated, though that might not be the right word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Cloud?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“’</span>
  <span>m sorry-” Cloud mumbles, the tension in his shoulders threading tighter. Andrea blinks and then immediately shakes his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Don’t be silly.” He says, voice firm, but soothing. Reaches his other hand to brush at Cloud’s longer spikes, then his cheek. Pulling up a half smile when Cloud glances at him again. “They’re just dreams, like I said. Probably stress from work and such.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>But you didn’t start having them ‘till I took you there, right?” Cloud says, stubborn and always so determined to place the burden- the blame- on his shoulders. Andrea hates it. But still, the truth of that isn’t something Andrea can deny. He’d told Cloud about the strange vision that very day after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...I suppose not. But I wouldn’t trade that day for anything.” Andrea’s hand curls against Cloud’s chin. Pulls gently to get Cloud to look at him properly. “I wouldn’t trade any of our time spent together. Certainly not over something as silly as a bad dream. Which really, in the grand scheme of things, isn’t all that bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud stares at him, expression flickering a moment before he sighs. Andrea’s heart twists a little. Tracing his thumb back and forth across the sharp line of Cloud’s jaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Can I ask what you meant- about the static?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ ‘</span>
  <span>s kinda hard to explain.” Cloud says, another creaking twist of leather as he wrings his hands. But Andrea can see him fighting with himself, rather than closing off. So he waits and after a minute or so Cloud manages to find his voice. Stumbling. Halting. “I. I used to...see things. Sometimes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea bites back a frown. Concern tripping bright through his veins. Because god that sounds </span>
  <em>
    <span>awful</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Remembers the fits junkies around Wall Market used to have. But he doesn’t think that’s quite what Cloud’s talking about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>They weren’t...dreams. Since I was usually awake but.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hallucinations</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Andrea wonders, mind trying to fill the gaps. Especially as Cloud goes silent. Jaw working, brow furrowing tightly. God it makes Andrea’s heart ache. This poor boy...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You mentioned something. Back at the church, I mean. You said something about the Planet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Yeah. Yeah that’s.” Cloud pauses, that stubborn tilt returning full force to his face as he barrels ahead. “It’s alive, you know. It talks, but nobody can hear it anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud expression flickers, twists. Softens and sharpens all in one breath. Looking at Andrea, but not </span>
  <em>
    <span>at</span>
  </em>
  <span> him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Aerith was the last one who could.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Cloud looked troubled before, it’s nothing compared to the horrific wash of pain that floods through those too bright eyes as he says Aerith’s name. So much hurt there. So much pain and grief. But worse, in a lot of ways, is the strange shadow. The one Andrea’s seen before, but only just pieced together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>guilt</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud closes his eyes. Taking in a slow, careful breath. Rallying himself so when he next meets Andrea’s eyes, it’s steadier than before as he continues. </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>But it still tries, sometimes. To...to reach out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s disjointed and confusing, like a lot of things Cloud tries to explain. And some of it’s how hard it is for Cloud to put it all into words, Andrea’s sure. But he’s just as sure that it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span> he’s trying to talk about that makes it so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Overwhelming.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Their world is alive...? And it talks-</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>And that’s what the static is?” Andrea manages after a moment. Cloud nods. Then pauses. Shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Kinda.” He says, with that tense, apologetic tilt to his face. Like he knows exactly how all this sounds. Still, as before, Andrea doesn’t really see a choice but to take Cloud at his word. So much that he still doesn’t know. About the world or the man at his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Andrea thinks he gets Cloud’s apology now. Because that’s what Cloud has been worried – or perhaps </span>
  <em>
    <span>hoped</span>
  </em>
  <span> – it was. The Planet reaching out. Because it’s something that Cloud </span>
  <em>
    <span>gets </span>
  </em>
  <span>on some level.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea can understand that at the very least, if not much else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Well,” Andrea says after a moment of mulling it over. “At least I know something to keep an eye out for then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud blinks at him, startled. But then he nods, slowly. “Yeah...I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He still looks far too troubled for Andrea’s tastes. He doesn’t see a point in dwelling on it any further. A riddle without answers is just bound to give them both a headache. And right now, Andrea’s just glad Cloud’s back. Especially so soon, even if it means he’ll have to leave again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’ve got to run down to the corner store for a few things. Would you like to tag along?” Andrea asks, getting to his feet. Cloud trails him quietly as he heads for the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Sure. Got a while before I need to head back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea grins, pleased as anything. Steals a quick kiss from those pretty lips, chuckling to himself at the way Cloud starts a little, before dragging him out the door. Andrea meant it when he said he wouldn’t trade any of their moments. But it certainly doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to create even more.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Did you see him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Who.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Uh, the drop dead gorgeous guy with the bike.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea has to bite the end of his tongue when the chatter reaches his ears. Ah. That’d be his queue to hurry. Claude’s cheerfully rolling his eyes at him as Andrea packs up his things in a hurry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I think he turns more heads than you.” Claude teases, handing over his notebook. Andrea takes it with a laugh and an arched brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh honey, I know he does. And he can’t stand it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Off to the rescue then. Scoot.” Claude waves him off with a smile, “I’ll tidy up and see if I can find a few of your prospects for interview.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Thank you, dear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Good luck.” There’s a knowing glint in Claude’s eyes and Andrea meets it with a slightly sharper grin before he hurries off. Something swelling in his chest. Anticipation and excitement all twisted together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, this is happening. Finally months- hell, </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span>- of work are going to start paying off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea shoulders his way out of the building, spots Cloud perched against Fenrir. Feels a swell of a different sort at the way the sunshine’s hitting his hair, making it glow like pale gold. Glinting off those bright eyes turned to the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>God he’s beautiful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Running deliveries?” Andrea asks as he wanders over, noting the compartment Cloud has attached to the back of Fenrir’s seat. Cloud nods, straightening up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Just some of what I dropped last week. You need to stop anywhere?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nope. I’ve got everything I need with me.” Andrea hands the bag over and Cloud tucks it away safely beneath the seat. Surprisingly though he digs out a helmet and passes it over. Andrea takes it with a blink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Said you needed to get there fast right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah. Andrea thinks with a little thrill. He puts on the helmet dutifully and climbs on behind Cloud. Scooting in close and curling his arms around that familiar lean waist. Cloud glances back at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hold on tight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea learns immediately that it isn’t just a very </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud </span>
  </em>
  <span>attempt at flirting. But an actual, genuine warning because the man takes off like a hell-spawned bat. Tearing through the streets of Edge with a speed that threatens to take Andrea’s breath away. An adrenaline rush pulsing through Andrea’s veins. Thrill dragging a grin across his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They hit the familiar stretch of wasteland in what has to be record time. Cloud’s speed barely slows as he weaves through the rocky terrain. So clear that he’s done this dozens of times with the level of elegance and skill that churns something low and fiery in Andrea’s gut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But they haven’t been out for long before Cloud suddenly slows. Andrea shifts back a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Something wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Drakes.” Cloud says and gestures out into the distance. “They weren’t out here the last time I came through. Must be a new colony.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s something calculating in those eyes. Like a wolf circling its next meal. Gauging. Planning. Intent and focused as he decides when and how to strike at his prey.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Seems appropriate</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Andrea’s gaze flickers to the silver stud in Cloud’s ear. The wolf’s piercing eyes seem to stare back. Cloud pulls them up into a sheltering of cliffs a short distance from the now clear nest of monsters. There’s a twisting tower of scrap pulled in from Midgar. Left to sit until needed, or added to from things Edge didn’t use.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And this close it’s all too easy for Andrea to see the mass of winged reptilian bodies. Hear their hisses and shrieks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>They look like lesser ones, but there’s kids who come out here for scrap.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea chuckles warmly. Smiling to himself as he follows Cloud, climbing off the bike. Of course it’s something like that. He isn’t too surprised of course. Cloud has a weirdly natural affinity for kids – watching him around Denzel and Marlene all this time has been a pure, unexpected delight. That beautiful heart peeking out from behind his steely, often indifferent- if not outright annoyed- outer shell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>By all means. Go be their hero.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud doesn’t even bother rolling his eyes at him as he draws two of his swords from the compartment. He sheathes one along his back, twisting the other in hand. He eyes the swarm a moment, before reaching into the bike’s seat and pulling out an orb of green materia. He looks at Andrea, expression serious. “Keep your head down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yes sir.” Andrea replies with a bit of a mock salute.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud slips away. Light on his feet and a focus in his eyes as he heads for the nest. Pressing back against one of the nearby spires of rock. Peering around the edge. The materia he holds glints in the shadows. A glow starting to build up from within its centre. A pale, icy blue. It blossoms, flares. Twining around Cloud’s gloved fingers. Even with the distance between them, Andrea feels the air shift, cooling a few degrees. The hair on the back of his neck rises slightly, a thin layer of goosebumps rippling out over his skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea has a moment where he catches the bright glow of Cloud’s eyes, vibrant and luminous, before Cloud steps out of cover. With a flick of his wrist, an orb of light shoots out towards the lurking enemies. A massive chunk of ice materializes near dead centre of the group. Hovering a moment of calm before the drakes scatter with loud, grating cries as the ice explodes outwards. Breaking over them in a wave of sharp, icy death. Sending a handful crashing to the ground, wings and limbs frozen and torn under the frigid shrapnel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Those that escape the initial blast don’t get far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud practically takes flight himself. Leaping straight for the nearest drake that falls in a single flash of his blade with a gutted shriek. One of the drakes swoops down, talons extended. But Cloud blocks the strike, twists out of the way and with another quick slash it falls alongside the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moves to his next target, dispatching each with an ease and grace that almost defies description. As the bodies fall to the dusty earth, they start to fade, disintegrating into wispy streams of Lifestream. Floating into the air, twisting through the air and around Cloud as he flits between the monsters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea </span>
  <em>
    <span>stares</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A brief quake to his knees. A building fire in his gut. Familiar and yet unexpected. Andrea braces himself, on hand on one of Fenrir’s handlebars. Hears the rush of blood in his ears, flooding heat through his limbs, pooling low in his gut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh that’s…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>New.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not the violence, not at all. He’s never been one for the carnage. He understands it had its place, of course. But he never revelled in it the way others had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But this isn’t the mindless brutality of the Colosseum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It’s the strange, fascinating beauty of his form. The flash of his sword and his supernova eyes. The way he practically dances between the frankly helpless enemies. A level of finesse and raw, incredible power behind every swing of his blade.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even when more of the creatures crawl out of the metaphorical woodwork, Cloud shifts to meet them easily. With a calm, easy confidence. Pulls the second of his blades and locks into place with a flare of silvery energy. Diving neatly out of the way as one of the three new, blue colored drakes sends a massive wave of frigid wind blasting towards him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Poetry in motion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a thought Andrea’s had about Cloud before. Something hovering in the back of his mind, especially when he shows off that thoughtless, natural grace. But here it’s on its fullest display. A wild, beautiful, frenetic energy humming through the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Shit...” Andrea breathes, a heated whisper as Cloud cuts down the first of the new comers. Blocking another as it dives for his head with an enraged screech. Again the air chills. A moment later a smaller chuck of ice encases one of the remaining drake’s wings, sends it plummeting from its place above the scrap heap. Cloud catches it on the edge of his blade and sends it hurting into one of the steel beams with a crash. The last remaining creature wheels away through the air. Ragged wings flaring as it tries to flee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heading towards the rockface where Andrea waits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud closes the distance between them so fast Andrea doesn’t even see it happen. In a single explosive leap, he jumps towards the Azure Drake. A flash of steel, a piercing shriek and then the monster collapses to the ground, already being pulled back into the Lifestream.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud lands in front of him, back turned. All grace and poise and elegant strength. His eyes sweeping the area twice over before he finally relaxes his stance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You okay?” He asks, turning to face Andrea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud looks entirely untouched save for a light smattering of pale dust on his dark clothes. He’s not sweating or breathing hard at all. If Andrea hadn’t just seen it he never would’ve believed the man had just disposed of nearly twenty creatures. He looks calm and dangerous and Andrea about chokes on his tongue at the sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of everything about Cloud Strife, how in the world had Andrea forgotten this side of him? The first time he ever saw Cloud was in Corneo’s Colosseum. Deftly dealing with opponent after opponent. Often outnumbered, but never outmatched.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Perfectly.” He manages, voice surprisingly steady given all his blood is determinedly rushing south. “But I’m afraid if we don’t get back on your lovely bike soon, I’m going to do rather terrible things to you right here and now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud reels back a half step. Eyes wide and bright. Andrea’s words unseating his composure in a way a hoard of vicious beasts hadn’t even come close too. Sends another rushing wave of heat crashing through Andrea’s veins. Especially as Cloud stares at him. Realizes that Cloud’s eyes have that faint glow. While it might be from the adrenaline of battle, or the use of magic, Andrea’s mind associates that brightness with one thing in particular.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And it’s not helping his situation in the slightest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beneath that glow though, there’s an edge of uncertainty. Confusion. Cloud glancing back towards the now cleared scrapheap then back at Andrea. A small furrow marking his brow. He doesn’t understand, that much is obvious. Hell, Andrea’s not even sure he understands it himself. But it doesn’t change the fact he’s damn near bitten through his cheek at this point. Surprise he hasn’t tasted blood yet with how hard he’s had to reign himself back in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Okay...?” Cloud finally says, slow. Unsure. Walking over to return his weapons to their compartment. He glances at Andrea once more.. “Let’s. Go then.”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They reach Kalm without any further incidents. What few monsters notice them easily out sped by Fenrir. The thrill of the ride, wind racing past them at breakneck speeds, does a little to clear Andrea’s head. But the fact the speed and route basically forced him to backhug Cloud the entire way meant his ‘reaction’ to earlier has yet to die away. Andrea feels he deserves some kind of award for not giving in and rubbing himself off on the honed lines of Cloud’s back. Especially given how he can feel them bunch and shift as Cloud guides the bike along under his expert hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud cuts the engine as they roll into a relatively quiet part of town, somewhere along the southern edge. Andrea climbs down, slowly pulling off his helmet as he looks around. His eyes catch on a break in the uniform brick wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>How soon’s your first delivery?” He asks, handing the helmet back to Cloud to tuck away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud pulls out his phone and glances at it. “Actually we made pretty good time. Even with that detour.” He swings off of Fenrir with the grace of long practise. “Got about twenty minutes before they expect- whoa!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His feet barely hit the ground before Andrea grabs him. Pulling him along towards a shadowed alleyway to their left. Dodging a scatting of empty crates stacked high and bins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andrea? What’re you- oof!” Cloud’s back strikes the wall as Andrea presses him back behind the shelter of a tall stack of pallets. The blond grunts and stares up at him. “Andr-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In his not so humble opinion, Andrea thinks he’s been very good all things considered. But what few threads of his patience remain snap in the shadows of the alley. He descends on Cloud and kisses him like he wants to devour him whole.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which he does, in a way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud shudders, gasping into Andrea’s mouth. His hands lurching up to catch in Andrea’s jacket tightly. Leather creaking as Cloud holds onto him. Keeps him close. Andrea can’t keep his hands off Cloud either. Reaching around to squeeze his ass, growling low and pleased in his throat when Cloud moans at the touch. Pulling Cloud forward, grinding their hips together so Cloud feels his erection. Cloud’s the one who pulls free of the kiss, gasping hard for breath. Andrea lets him, turning his focus to that delectable neck as his hands slide around to start tugging at his clothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Fuck-!” Cloud gasps, grabbing onto Andrea’s shoulders. More to keep himself steady as Andrea pulls his shirt free from his waistband than anything. “Wh-what’s gotten into you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing yet</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Andrea’s mind whines, cock throbbing heavily in his pants at the thought. But he bites his tongue. Distracts himself- poorly- by running his hand along firm abs that have been driving him out of his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Cloud’s trying to complain, he’s doing a terrible job of it. Still clutching Andrea close. Andrea bites at the end of Cloud’s ear, voice a deep, gruff rumble. “I’ve been dying to get my mouth on you for nearly half an hour now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Wh- </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” The faint squeak in Cloud’s voice would be adorable if not for the literal fire that’s raging through Andrea in place of his blood. Frankly Andrea calls bullshit on Cloud’s apparent surprise. There isn’t a single chance Cloud hadn’t felt him pressed against his back during the trip. But still there’s a hint of hesitance in Cloud’s voice, under the incredulity. Andrea stops, hands resting against Cloud’s belt. He pulls back, meeting the other’s eyes seriously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You don’t want to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even in the shadows, Andrea can see the flush of Cloud’s skin. His eyes glowing subtly.“I- that’s not- someone could see us!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Relief settles into Andrea’s heart, even as he chuckles. A part of him is glad not to have to stop, of course. But a much larger part glad that he didn’t just push Cloud too far or too fast. God he loves how shy Cloud gets at times. Even though at others it’s enough to drive him out of his mind. Andrea smiles and leans in to nuzzle at Cloud’s jaw. “Yes or no, beautiful?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...You’re actually serious.” Cloud sounds breathless and wondering. Andrea laughs deep in his chest. Has this sweet boy learned nothing of how Andrea wants him? If so, Andrea’s very happy- and determined- to work on that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Completely. On both accounts.” Andrea leans in, brushing his nose against Cloud’s, watching his eyes. “Clock’s ticking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud swallows. Andrea has to fight the urge to kiss him again. He needs to hear his answer. Cloud’s gaze cuts away briefly, looking towards the entrance. Barely visible from where they’re tucked away. When he turns back to Andrea he wets his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>...Make it quick.” He says and it almost sounds like a plea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea drops to his knees. A deadly combination of his desire and the low, trembling need in Cloud’s quiet voice. The sound of Cloud’s pant’s zipper seems so loud in the quiet. Andrea feels Cloud tense. Luminescent eyes darting down towards the entrance of the alley. That won’t do. Andrea wants those eyes on him. Doesn’t want to give Cloud a chance to fret, to think. Andrea just wants him to </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grasps the front of Cloud’s pants and peels them open. Pushes them partway down his thighs so he can slide Cloud’s cock from the slit of his underwear. He isn’t quite at half mast yet, but Andrea’s more than happy to assist. Curling his fingers around Cloud and stroking the velvet skin. Leaning forward to kiss the head. Gratified as he feels Cloud swell beneath his touch. At the broken groan that Cloud chokes back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andrea.” He gasps, teeth sinking into his lower lip. It doesn’t take long for Andrea to work Cloud up. With hands and lips and the faintest touch of teeth. To get him straining against his hand, head shiny with precum. Andrea drags his tongue against the head, slow and savouring as he ponders for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> say he needed to be quick, no? A wicked smirk curls over Andrea’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Keep quiet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What’re you- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hhngmph</span>
  </em>
  <span>-!” Cloud slaps a hand over his mouth, barely cutting off a shout as Andrea relaxes his jaw, his throat and takes Cloud all the way in in a single motion. His voice a heated, jagged whisper as he hisses. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Andrea</span>
  </em>
  <span>-!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea keeps his eyes on Cloud’s face as he swallows. Nose buried against the nest of curls against Cloud’s abdomen. Watches the exquisite play of pleasure hit him. The sight of it makes his own cock throb in his pants. Pulsing in time to the echoing one he can feel in Cloud’s. He swallows again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Shit- </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>-!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a low hum in his chest, Andrea pulls back. A long slow slide of wet heat and tight suction. Curls his hands tight against Cloud’s sharp hips. Catching the instinctive lurch as Cloud smothers another gasp. But Andrea doesn’t give him time to think, to catch his breath. Takes him all the way in again in a single breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud’s teeth sink into his lower lip, so hard Andrea’s impressed he doesn’t draw blood. His hands curl into fists against the brick wall. Andrea can see them trembling. Hear leather creaking. The dear boy trying so hard to hold himself back. To rein in the heady strength Andrea knows is in those corded arms and shaking hands. A large part of Andrea wishes Cloud wouldn’t hold himself back so much. Andrea would be perfectly happy to have those hands on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea finds himself torn. Between teasing and cajoling Cloud into just fucking his throat. To watch him give himself over to the delicious heat Andrea can see in those wide eyes. But there’s also something exceptionally exhilarating about pinning Cloud back and making him just take it. About being able to have this gorgeous, powerful man trembling under his hands, willing to let Andrea do just that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The taste, weight and heat of Cloud against his tongue fuelling his own arousal higher and higher. Watching the gorgeous muscles in his arms and stomach clench and shiver. Tense from Cloud holding back both himself and his voice. The hard, huffing breaths Cloud manages through his nose growing faster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea doesn’t want to cause a scene. If only for the fact he knows it would genuinely </span>
  <em>
    <span>mortify</span>
  </em>
  <span> Cloud, and Andrea could never bring himself to do that. Not with Cloud’s insecurities. Not with how much the other means to Andrea. But still, Andrea can’t help having a </span>
  <em>
    <span>little</span>
  </em>
  <span> fun with him. Shifting his pace a little sporadically. Sometimes bobbing his head against the sensitive head of Cloud’s erection. Other times taking him deep and holding him there. Swallowing heavily around him. And god if Cloud’s reactions don’t make every moment of it worth it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Fu-</span>
  <em>
    <span>ah-! Nnn!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Had he the time and were they not where they were, Andrea would’ve kept Cloud there for hours. Held him on the edge of bliss again and again. Watch his composure fracture down the middle. Tease out that sweet, sweet voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Cloud’s being so good for him. Fighting to keep quiet. And they do, unfortunately, have a deadline. No time for slow and sweet. Andrea swallows around the blond once more, savouring the taste of him. The burn of his eyes and lungs as his body calls for air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud keens above him. That high, sweet sound which makes Andrea shiver all the way to his toes. His own erection strains in his pants, an agonizing, yet blissful ache when coupled with the noises Cloud makes. In the way Cloud shifts under his hold. In the way Andrea </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows </span>
  </em>
  <span>Cloud could break free. In the fact that he </span>
  <em>
    <span>doesn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Andrea!” Cloud pleads around the fist he practically shoves between his teeth. “I- I can’t-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea groans, drawing back, dragging his tongue in a long line along the underside vein. Cloud’s cock throbs harshly against his tongue as Andrea laps against the head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Go on, beautiful. Let me taste you.” His voice scrapes against his throat, rough and raw. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>look</span>
  </em>
  <span> in Cloud’s eyes as he stares at him draws a heady moan from Andrea’s chest. He hears the scrape and creak of Cloud’s leather gloves as the other man scrabbles against the wall. Little showers of rust-red dust sprinkling the ground and Andrea’s pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the Planet herself, Andrea thinks, even as he sinks his mouth back over Cloud. Takes him deep once again. It’s so unreal to him, even now, just how damn </span>
  <em>
    <span>gorgeous</span>
  </em>
  <span> Cloud is. Flushed and panting. Eyes like stars even in the pale shadows of the alley. Trembling before Andrea, even as the dancer loosens his hold on Cloud’s hips.Shifts them around to cup the subtle curve of his ass. Lets the other stutter forward with a helpless, bitten off whine. Rides the motion easily as Cloud presses deeper. Breathes in the chemical tang of Cloud’s sweat, prominent through his pubic hair. Closes his eyes to just </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a strange shift in the air. Like some sort of energy being drawn in. A choked sound rumbles deep in Cloud’s chest. The energy flares slightly, as a moment later there’s a cracking thud. Andrea’s eyes snap open, gaze darting left. Only to see a faint spider web of cracks etched into the brickwork beneath Cloud’s fist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea about damn near cums in his pants at the sight. At the heady spark of </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> that coils through him. Wrapping tight and choking around his senses.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud shudders, jaw clenching so tight, the tendons on his neck stick out. Thighs tensing. Cock pulsing as he cums. Hard. The dancer drinks it all down with the fervour of a man dying of thirst. Cloud’s trembling before him. Head arched back, eyes towards the tiny sliver of cloudy blue sky visible above. Andrea can hear him faintly gasping for breath. Only a tiny streak leaking from the corner of Andrea’s lips as he pulls back. Cloud shivers as the air brushes against his softening length and looks down again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Good boy.” Andrea rumbles, swiping his tongue over his lips, satisfaction and need coiling tight in his gut. Cloud’s eyes flash, watching intently as Andrea carefully tucks him back into his pants. He barely gets them back up around Cloud’s hips before the man surges before him. Practically lifts Andrea off the ground and onto his feet. The rush makes Andrea’s ears ring, leaving him dizzy with arousal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>My turn.” Cloud growls against his throat and before Andrea can speak- before he can </span>
  <em>
    <span>think</span>
  </em>
  <span>- Cloud’s got his pants undone and thrust a deft hand inside. Andrea makes an agreeable noise that the most charitable person on Gaia might even call a yes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Time?” He gasps, barely able to remember why it’s important.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Least five minutes. Now shut up and lemme me work.” Cloud says to his thundering pulse. Andrea obliges without another word. Everything in him bright and burning. Trembling on the edge of a precipice.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Five minutes </span>
  </em>
  <span>Andrea thinks, something incredulous welling inside him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll be lucky if I last two</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His tongue tied silence doesn’t last for long, as Cloud finally slides his hand into Andrea’s briefs. Andrea’s turn to choke on a groan. As he gets it around Andrea’s borderline painful erection, one thought rings loud and clear in Andrea’s mind. Makes his hips lurch forward into that firm pressure.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He left the gloves on</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something almost giddy bubbles in his chest, startling out an awful mix of a giggle and a moan. After the life he’s led, Andrea hadn’t thought he had any undiscovered kinks. And his fixation with leather isn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>new</span>
  </em>
  <span> necessarily. But still, it’s never quite been like this. And that’s not even getting started on the sudden, inexplicable fire that roars through him when he thinks of Cloud’s strength.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fuck, Cloud had basically just lifted him off the ground. And Andrea knows Cloud can carry him, he’s done it in the past, even if Andrea wasn’t awake to experience it. But right now, in the depths of his surging, needy arousal Andrea’s mind runs wild. Wondering what it would be like to be held up by those gorgeous arms. Or pinned beneath that impossible strength-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But just as prominent is the knowledge that Cloud wouldn’t hurt him. Despite the incredible strength that lies with this man, Andrea knows, with bone deep certainty, that he’s safe in Cloud’s hands. That Cloud’s willing, happy even, to submit himself before Andrea’s whims and whiles. And that’s intoxicating for a whole host of other reasons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All of it is something he fully intends to explore the depths of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What?” Cloud asks from where he’s biting at Andrea’s jaw through his beard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Nothing. You’re perfect. More than perfect. I- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud</span>
  </em>
  <span>-” Andrea shudders and claws at him. Grabbing fistfuls of Cloud’s clothes, his hair. Dragging the other’s lips to his. Cloud’s rhythm barely falters as his firebrand mouth collides with Andrea’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea loses track of everything. The sensations (the leather worn soft from use and the sweet, damp mouth against his and the inferno inside him-), the place (cramped and stale and why aren’t they </span>
  <em>
    <span>home-</span>
  </em>
  <span>), </span>
  <em>
    <span>himself</span>
  </em>
  <span>. All of it blurring together into a heat haze high of pleasure and touch. Into a name his mind cries over and over again. A few of them escape his lips only to be swallowed by the eager mouth against his.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud. Cloud, </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>Cloud</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>-!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>When the wave finally crests, finally shatters like a storm through his bones, the sound he buries in the depths of Cloud’s mouth is of pure</span>
  <em>
    <span> relief.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Holy shit...” Cloud gasps as they part. Sounding stunned and aroused and blissful. Andrea has to agree.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They come down together, wrapped in eachothers arms. Andrea’s being held up largely by Cloud’s around him. That firm, strong grip which gives him a strange sense of safety. He’s doubly grateful for it, because his knees certainly don’t feel up to taking his weight just yet. Instead Andrea devotes his floating awareness to feather glancing, mindless kisses all around Cloud’s face. Something like light burning bright in his chest. Probably has something to do with the small, fluttering smile tucked in the corner of Cloud’s mouth. Those glowing eyes half lidded. Warm and content.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the haze rolls back, Andrea hears a quiet, but shrill noise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>What is that...?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hmmm?” Cloud blinks heavy eyes, a furrow dipping between his eyes before they shoot open. “Oh, shit. That’s my alarm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Getting themselves cleaned up is something of an adventure. Of the two of them, Cloud’s by far less of a mess. Even though his hair and clothes are dishevelled in an all too telling way. Not helped in the least by that sweet, lingering flush along his cheeks and the tips of his ears. But still, brave soul that he is slips away to grab both a canteen of water and Andrea’s bag from Fenrir. They patch themselves together, Andrea sacrificing more than a few wipes from his bag in an effort to make himself presentable. Cloud deems his gloves a lost cause, brushing off Andrea’s apology with a shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>I’ve got others.” He mutters, pitching the soiled leather into a nearby bin. Andrea can’t help giggling a little at the whole ridiculous scenario. Shit, he can’t even remember the last time he had a bit of fun in some dark, dank little alleyway. And he’s honestly stunned that Cloud had </span>
  <em>
    <span>let</span>
  </em>
  <span> him in the first place. That thought alone sends a flicker of softer, more genuine warmth through Andrea. Catches Cloud in his arms again again before they slip out of the alleyway again and kisses him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>That’s two now.” He murmurs as they part. Smiling at the confused furrow on Cloud’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Two times I’ve had to miss out on your voice.” Andrea explains, fussing gently with Cloud’s hair as he watches him. “You know what I told you last time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud gapes at him a moment, eyes wide as realization flashes through them. The color in his face, which had almost faded, flaring back to brilliant life. Endearing and beautiful, even as Cloud’s shoulders hunch, head ducking. Sweet, shy boy. God, he makes Andrea’s heart positively ache sometimes. Andrea grins. Slow and heated and sharp. Ducks in to brush his lips against the flushed shell of Cloud’s ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>So that makes two, my darling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A pleasing little shiver runs through Cloud. Andrea only really catches it because of their proximity. But still, Andrea gives him a squeeze. Kisses one sweetly colored cheek once more and steps back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Now off you go. I’ll meet you in the square when I’m done.”</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Working title of this chapter? Andi's Strength Kink 1.0 ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Pieces of a Whole</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Avasti the wonder beta is WONDERFUL! &lt;3</p><p>Short chapter today fam- sorry ^^" Gonna try real hard to have one out for the Cloudy-boy's b-day too though...*fingers crossed* But hopefully y'all don't mind a bit of a transition-er. &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kalm’s grown substantially since the first time Andrea came out here. It had to, to accommodate the rush of terrified refugees that’d fled here from Midgar. Hell, the fact that Kalm couldn’t grow fast <em>enough</em> is a big part of the reason Edge came into existence.</p><p>So it’s interesting, wandering the newly bricked streets and buildings. His destination’s a silent repeat in the back of his mind as he scans the area. The anticipation is back, as well as a quiet kind of caution. He doubts the lead is false, but still, he’s learned to watch his back over the years. Came with the territory of growing up in Wall Market. Bright flashy lights and a knife waiting for your back in the shadows. It’s been a long time since he’s felt that particular cautious thrill.</p><p>Idly he adjusts the bag strapped across his shoulder. Feels the weight of the slender pistol Leslie lent him. For insurance if need be, though Andrea really hopes it doesn’t come to that.</p><p>He heads up the short flight of steps to the door of the building. The interior seems dark, and there’s a faint smell in that air that tickles something in the back of Andrea’s memory. He knocks on the door and waits a moment. Glancing idly over his shoulder, Andrea twists the knob- unlocked, as he’d been told it would be- and steps inside.</p><p>“Hello?”</p><p>The main floor of the house is a simple affair. An open space with a kitchen and living room combined as well as a set of stairs leading to the upper level. It’s obviously lived in, things here and there out of place. But right now he doesn’t see anyone around.</p><p>The smell’s stronger inside too. Hovering a touch hazy in the air. Like...smoke? Why does he-</p><p>“Well, well. If it isn’t Andrea Rhodea himself.”</p><p><em>Ah.</em> Andrea thinks as a very familiar- and unexpected- voice reaches his ear. That’s why he recognized that smell. It’s incense. A very particular type you could only find in one place in Wall Market. He pivots on his heel back towards the stairs, a grin playing on the edge of his lips.</p><p>It would appear Madam M’s tastes have not changed the last few years.</p><p>“Madame. It’s been too long.” He greets her cordially, dipping his head and arching a brow. “But you’re not my contact.”</p><p>“No, I’m not.” She agrees with a shrug. “But you’re insane if you think I don’t want in on this.”</p><p>Andrea cocks a hip, arms folding over his chest as he eyes her. The years look like they haven’t been as kind to her as they have to him. Oh she still looks stunning, he’s never known her not to be. She, like him, understands the power of outward appearances. But he also notices her attire seems a little lesser. A little more threadbare. Her beautiful face a little sharper than it had been in the Market.</p><p>Honestly, he’s surprised to find her in Kalm of all places, even if she does want a piece of the action as it were. It doesn’t fit her. This quiet little town. But it’s none of his business. And honestly, he’s not that curious. Knows to keep his nose of things that don’t concern him.</p><p>“That’s funny. As I recall, both you and Sam seemed quite opposed to my plans back in Midgar.”</p><p>“Because we weren’t <em>stupid.</em> Your plan was a one in a million shot.” Madame M scoffs as she hits the ground floor. She points at him dismissively with her fan. “Which would’ve gone tits up if you hadn’t latched on that boy. You’re welcome, by the way.”</p><p>Andrea can’t quite fight a smirk. He can also hear the note of begrudging respect in her voice too. Much as it’s buried behind her usual snappy nature. Still he’ll be the first to admit that she’s right. After placing careful, strategic little nails in the Don’s coffin for nearly all his life, Cloud had been the metaphorical hammer he’d needed. Enough to send Corneo scurrying into the sewers like the goddamn wererat he was. Unfortunately, Andrea’d lost the scent after Leslie’d returned from his own hunt. There’d be a few whispers of course. A man like Coreno going missing doesn’t happen without something lingering behind. But it isn’t until now that something genuine has started to blossom.</p><p>He doesn’t hold the fact that Madame M and Sam were more than hesitant to stand alongside his efforts against them of course. Sam’s rise had been through family connections, similar, though of a different vein, to Andrea’s in a way. But the Madame had built herself up, one hand at a time. It hadn’t surprised him that she’d blanched at the thought of rattling the tower as it were. Even though her hatred of the Don had been one of the worst kept secrets in Wall Market.</p><p>Of the Trio, Andrea had by far both the best chance at success, and the most to lose if everything fell apart. He’d been in charge of the single most influential and profitable public face of Corneo’s little under city empire after all. Played by many of his own rules and thus held a different… understanding, with the Don than the other two. But he never would’ve reached such heights in the first place, if he’d sat around being afraid of a fall.</p><p>“Our whole lives are made of such moments Madame. If we let those chances and opportunities pass us by, then what’s the point?”</p><p>“Don’t give me your pep talk bullshit Andrea. I’m not in the mood.”</p><p>“Are you ever?” He teases, chuckling as she wacks his chest with her fan as she walks by. He trails her distantly as she heads into the little kitchenette area. Tossing a kettle onto the stove and directing him to get out cups. Andrea obliges, if only because he knows the Madame makes a damn good cup of tea and he’s still feeling a little wrung out from his and Cloud’s fun earlier.</p><p>“I’ll admit I was almost surprised to hear you were still after him. Thought you’d want a fresh start free of his grubby claws like the rest of us.”</p><p>“Of course I do.” Andrea replies evenly, “But I know I’ll never get that- not truly- until Corneo is dealt with. He may have lost Wall Market, but I wouldn’t count him out of things just yet. He’s too clever for that.” Madame M scowls, spooning loose tea leaves into her infuser with a slightly more aggressive hand than it calls for. Andrea cradles his cheek on one fist, watching her pour the now gently boiling water over them. A delicious scent rising into the air, mixing well with her lily incense. “And if I know the Don- and I do- I’d say it’s only a matter of time before he starts making moves to rebuild.”</p><p>“Alright, fair enough. I see your point. We might as well, right?” She says, placing the pot down on the table between them and daintily taking her seat. “I mean really. It isn’t like either of us have anything to lose anymore.”</p><p>Andrea hesitates, something swelling in his chest. Cloud’s face flickering to crystal clear focus in his mind. He chokes it back, pulls on his old grin and nods. “Of course not. Why do you think I’m so keen on continuing what I started?”</p><p>“Then spill it, what’s the plan? How’re we making that scum sucking piece of shit pay?”</p><p>Andrea’d meant it, when he’d talked to Cloud a while back. That he understands his old cohorts and their methods. That they understand his. So really, he’s not at all opposed to the help from familiar minds and hands.</p><p>So he talks. Explains the webs he and Leslie have been spinning for years now. The information they’ve managed to get their hands on. And how things have been stalled while they waited for the <em>right</em> kind to reach their ears.</p><p>“Wutai.” She answers, when he prods after a while. “That’s the last concrete place I could find. But it was a while ago. Few months at least.”</p><p>Andrea hums, can’t help the spark that flickers through him. Not sure if he’s surprised the Don’s cowardice sent him scurrying all the way to the other end of the world. Frowns a little into his cup because. Well. That complicates things a bit if it’s still true. They’re going to need ‘wings’ to chase after their runaway.</p><p>“Have you seen Sam around?” He asks, but not with much hope. He just knows getting the third of their number on board would be the easiest. Of course, it’s still a bit of a disappointment when the Madame only shakes her head as she pours them each a cup.</p><p>“Of course not. I’m sure he’s run off into the wild with his goddamn birds. Happy as can be.”</p><p>There’s a touch of familiar wistfulness to the tilt of Madam’s expression as she talks. That funny twist of annoyance, affection, desire and loathing. It’d been a very, <em>very</em> interesting couple of months in Wall Market, when she and Sam had pursued their on again, off again relationship. Andrea admits he finds himself quite a bit more sympathetic now than he’d been back then.</p><p>“What about you?” She asks after a moment, a deliberately uncaring lilt to her words. Andrea hums and shakes his head.</p><p>“No. Though I may have met some of his family the other day.”</p><p>“Oh?” There’s a spark of intrigue in her dark eyes.</p><p>“At the Chocobo’s Ranch, out towards Junon.”</p><p>“What the hell were you doing at some ranch?”</p><p>“Oh just a bit of fun really.” Andre hedges with a grin. She glares at him a moment then sighs, rolling her eyes.</p><p>“Doesn’t sound like your usual kind of ‘fun’.”</p><p>“Maybe I was out scouting. Just think, chocobo’s on stage could prove quite entertaining.”</p><p>“Oh my god, not you too.” She groans, reaching to rub her temples. Andrea chuckles, knowing he’s turned her off that particular conversation well and truly. Inwardly pats himself on the back for it too.</p><p>“While we’re on the subject, where exactly <em>is</em> my real contact?”</p><p>“Oh they’re due back any minute. I had them off running a few errands for me. Payment for a massage I gave them.”</p><p>“Poor soul. Though I’m impressed, you giving away your talents for so little.”</p><p>Madame M rolls her dark eyes, tracing one delicate finger along the rim of her tea cup. “Times’ve changed Andrea. We have to change with them.”</p><p>“True enough.” Andrea concedes, “And where have they led you? Besides cashing in your time for a few favours?”</p><p>The two of them swap stories for a while. Andrea tells her of the studio and Claude and the other of his Bee’s he’s managed to keep in contact with over the years. She tells him of a small operation she’s been running out in Costa. They’d never really ‘gotten on’ in the past of course, but they’d been working together under the Don for literal years and all that experience adds up. Something almost like camaraderie he supposes.</p><p>His actual contact does show eventually, but they have little to add that Madame M hadn’t already shared. Still, Andrea makes sure to thank them both for their time, trading contact information with the Madame and asking the young man- whom he realizes he remembers from Jules’ gym- to please stay in touch with Leslie if not him directly.</p><p>Andrea leaves the house feeling rather good about things all considered. Still, there’s the not so small problem of the next step taking him over halfway across the world. And he knows carving out that kind of time for himself is going to be damn near impossible. Not with summer creeping ever closer and thus the looming deadlines of the Fall production. Much as he hates to admit it, depending on how things go, he may just have to give it up.</p><p>But not yet. Andrea thinks, stubbornly tucking the thought away as he heads towards the square where he’s meeting Cloud. No. He’s not one to so easily admit defeat.</p><p>Cloud’s waiting for him as he’d said he would be. His stance outwardly casual, leaning against the side of the Inn a little ways away. But Andrea can see that faint, tense furrow marked on his brow. Hovering in the corners of his bright eyes. Something’s bothering him. Andrea would put rather good gil on the fact Shinra’s contacted him again.</p><p>Still, the expression vanishes when he catches sight of Andrea. His arms drop back to his side as he turns. Andrea doesn’t miss the way Cloud’s eyes sweep carefully over him. Assessing.</p><p>“Hey.” Cloud says, several moments too late. Andrea just smiles at him, used to Cloud’s many quirks by now.</p><p>“Hello to you too. Been waiting long?”</p><p>Cloud shakes his head. “You finished?”</p><p>“Indeed. Yourself?” Cloud nods and Andrea can’t help grinning a little, “Not in trouble for being a little late?”</p><p>Cloud looks away from him stubbornly, but it just makes the faint color along the tips of his ears all the easier to spot. “Told ‘em I had to deal with monsters.”</p><p>“Ah. True enough.” Andrea concedes, very carefully tucking away the images that want to resurface. There’ll be better time and place for such things. “Up for a bite to eat?”</p><p>Cloud shows him to one of his favourite little side cafes where they both pick away at delectable little pastries, cold soup and refreshing drinks. Andrea even manages to badger Cloud into showing him around the place a little more before they have to call it a day.</p><p>“So...should I keep an eye out for a wyrm on the way home?” Cloud pips up unexpectedly as they head back towards where they’d left Fenrir. Somehow he sounds both teasing and incredulous. Like he’s still trying to wrap his head around their earlier encounter. Andrea laughs and tries very hard to ignore the warm, bubbling feeling thrumming through his veins. At the fact Cloud had called it <em>home</em>.</p><p><em>He means Edge you sentimental fool.</em> He tells himself very firmly.</p><p>It doesn’t help.</p><p>“If you do, I make no promises I won’t ravage you on that extraordinary bike of yours.” Andrea replies, skilfully ignoring the images his brain very (un)helpfully conjure up.</p><p>“Don’t even think about it. Fenrir’s off limits.”</p><p>Andrea laughs as Cloud pops open Fenrir’s seat. “Touchy touchy. I bet I could change your-”</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>“Party pooper.”</p><p>“You’ll live.” Cloud says turning back to settle the helmet on Andrea’s head. Tugging and fixing the straps with ease. He doesn’t even really seem to think about what he’s doing till it’s done. Something flustered making his eyes go wide as he quickly drops his hands. “Ready to go?”</p><p>Andrea kisses his cheek and marvels at the fact it makes Cloud blush, even slightly. Especially given earlier. He really ought to learn this man will never stop surprising him. A warm, contented smile curls Andrea’s lips.</p><p>“With you darling? Anywhere.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Unfortunately, Andrea’d been right about Shinra. Cloud had dropped him off at his apartment and left again with his usual promise of trying to keep in touch when he could. Doesn’t stop that faint, roiling worry that settles all too easily into Andrea’s stomach again. Thankfully he doesn’t have to do much to distract himself. Just get through the rest of the day before his and Claude’s long awaited Thursday spree arrives. And blessedly his long time friend is all too good at keeping Andrea thoroughly distracted.</p><p>“Oh Andi look! Isn’t it just <em>darling</em>?” Claude coos from where he’s plastered against his fourth or fifth shop window. Andrea wanders over to join him, laughing when he realizes what’s caught Claude’s eye.</p><p>“Oh honey- yes it is absolutely lovely. But I think you need to let this one go. I promise you, you don’t need another bag.”</p><p>“But Andiiii-”</p><p>“I know, but I was thinking we could find things to put <em>into </em>the eight others you have. We run out of space in those then I promise, that will be the first thing on my list for you.”</p><p>Claude sighs, but lets Andrea drag him away. Reaching back with dramatic longing towards the window. “I’ll come back for you. Wait for me.”</p><p>They duck into a fair few of their favorite shops. Though doing so just serves as a reminder that it’s been a long time since Andrea’s taken time to be out and about. Between work, life and Cloud, the weeks have slipped by so quickly. Still the shop-keeps greet them with their usual enthusiasm and are quick to show them their new wares. By the time they stop for a very late lunch, Andrea’s fairly convinced they’ve found enough supplies to top up at least a few of Claude’s bags.</p><p>Still as things slow down Andrea finds his thoughts wandering back towards Cloud. Not helped by the fact they’ve stopped somewhere he has all too clear a view of Midgar. He’d pulled out his phone when Claude had run off to grab them each another round of snacks. But of course there’s nothing. No calls or texts and while it’s not surprising it still hurts. Plucks at some anxious cord that wraps itself all too easily around his heart these days.</p><p>“Is Cloud gone again?”</p><p>Andrea starts at Claude’s voice. Blinking up towards his friend, even as he reaches out to take the little tray of shaved ice from him. “I’m sorry?”</p><p>“You’ve got that look in your eye. And you only fuss with your phone that much if you’re waiting for him to contact you.” Claude says with a vague little gesture towards Andrea. Andrea can’t do anything but hum a quiet affirmative. Claude taps his spoon against the side of his cup, gazing out across the street. “He’s a busy boy that one.”</p><p>“Yes he is.” Andrea agrees with an absent nod. Now that his attention has been drawn to it, he can feel the furrow lingering between his eyes. Feels bad because this was supposed to be a day to put all that behind him for a while. It’s been far too long since he spent time with his people outside work. Still, Claude continues to be the Planet’s apparent gift to Andrea with all his sweet hearted understanding and patience. Still, Andrea knows he deserves better than a mopey friend. “And we’ve still got time to kill. Where’d you like to go next?”</p><p>There’s a weird kind of sympathy to the tilt of Claude’s expression for a moment. But it disappears quick enough in a wave of his usual bubbly enthusiasm. “Well I did hear about this really cute little antique shop that’s not supposed to be too far. And me and the roomies have been <em>dying</em> for some new side tables.”</p><p>“Lead the way then.”</p><p>Claude’s right, the shop is absolutely precious. A dingy, out of the way spot tucked down near the end of a tiny, one way street. Packed from floor to ceiling with so many odds and ends things that it’s impossible to keep track of it all. Damn near impossible for the pair of them to walk the haphazard lanes between. The kindly older couple who run the place chortle and shuffle through the space with an ease that speaks of many, many years of experience. And it’s very clear they have the whole shop mapped out in their heads- organized chaos as the saying goes.</p><p>Claude gets swept up under one of the women’s expert wings, following her closer to the back where they keep their smaller bits of furniture. Andrea lingers up front, picking through smaller knick knacks. He can’t say he’s really looking for anything in particular today. Sure he’s stumbled across a few things, a new eyeliner and a few cute bottles of nail polish. But there’s nothing he ‘needs’ per say. But oftentimes that’s for the best. He’s found some of the most unexpected treasures without looking for them.</p><p>Speaking of-</p><p>“Oh?” Andrea hums, when a glint from near the window catches his eye. Wandering over, careful to avoid knocking over any of the haphazard stacks of things strewn about, Andrea reaches out and plucks it up.</p><p>It’s a stone, of some sort, but not one he’s ever seen before. Oblong and carefully smoothed flat. The cool weight of it sits pleasantly in his palm. The color of it’s interesting, a marbled grey-brown. But what’d drawn Andrea’s attention to it was the stylized carving etched atop its surface. A wild, winsome carving of a tree branches reaching out towards the heavens and a tangled gnarl of roots towards the earth. Dotting the sky above the tree are little fragments of blue and green stone- materia, Andrea recognizes that color well. A few of them seem to be missing, but it does very little to detract from the work's beauty.</p><p>“Pretty isn’t it?” A voice crackles behind him and Andrea turns to meet the other shop-keep’s keen eye. He smiles at the woman and nods.</p><p>“Very. I’ve never seen anything like it.”</p><p>“Nor have I. Not for years now. The mason that used to send them out here just stopped one day.”</p><p>“That’s a shame. Do you remember where it came from?”</p><p>The woman pauses for a moment, humming and hawing to herself. “Well now let me think. It was some tiny place way out west. Err. Nif...no. Nibel- something or other. Can’t quite remember.”</p><p><em>Nibelhiem</em>. Andrea feels his gut faintly twist as his mind fills in the blanks. Can’t help the way his attention turns back to the stone. It was from Cloud’s hometown. A strange sort of unease washes through him. All too easy to remember the scattered moments Cloud mentioned it. Right now all Andrea can hear is Cloud’s voice. Tense and stilted the first time he’d opened up about himself. His past.</p><p><em>Burned down</em>. Wasn’t that what Cloud’d said happened? Andrea’s grip on the stone tightens reflexively. Feels strange, holding a piece of it in his hand.</p><p>“Take it home with you.”</p><p>Andrea starts, blinking out of his melancholy thoughts as he looks over at the woman again. “I- I’m sorry?”</p><p>She flaps a gnarled hand at him. “It’s been sitting here gathering dust for years now. And it doesn’t often catch anyone’s eye anymore. Pretty things like that deserve better.”</p><p>Immediately, Andrea feels torn. On one hand the offer is extremely generous. A piece like this, with the clear level of workmanship must’ve cost a pretty gil. But what has Andrea so torn is the thought of Cloud. Of what his reaction might be if he saw it. Cloud’s expressed largely conflicting, if not outright negative, feelings towards reminders of his old home. Andrea tries to imagine how he’d feel, having a piece of the past- his home- put before him again after so long.</p><p>But he almost immediately dismisses the thought. Their situations are too different. He knows that without even knowing the details of Cloud’s life. For one, Andrea’s never resented where he came from. He’d had his struggles and ups and downs. But that was just<em> life</em>. Being born into that world had made it all second nature really. Meteorfall had been horrific, of course. Losing his lifelong home and his life’s work is still an ache that gets to him at times. But Andrea knows he can rebuild what he lost. The worst part of it all, really, has been the recent reports. Of seeing the names of his family again and realizing who among them is gone forever. That is the part Andrea knows is always going to hurt. But a lot of that loss hadn’t been any one particular incident. Just time and the random cruelty of life, spread out over the past three years.</p><p>Cloud had been so much younger, little more than a teenager. Lost it all in one fell, cruel tidal wash of flame.</p><p>Andrea brushes a thumb along the tree trunk. Slow and considering. A rather morbid thought crosses his mind.</p><p>Would Cloud even recognize it? What it was? Especially given the holes in his memory...</p><p>There’s a chime from his pocket and Andrea blinks. Begging the woman’s pardon as he plucks out his phone. A message flashes up on his screen.</p><p>
  <strong>Hey Andi. I was looking at my schedule and I think I could do next Wednesday or Thursday? If either works for you let me know!</strong>
</p><p><em>Oh</em>. Andrea thinks as he reads it. Perhaps Cloud’s not the only one with a bad memory.</p><p>Tifa. Of course, how could he have forgotten? She was from Nibelhiem too. And of the two of them, Andrea knows she’s far more the sentimental type. Far happier to reminisce than Cloud certainly. Perhaps she’d find some small comfort in this?</p><p>Andrea feels his smile widen a touch as he tucks his phone away. “I’ve a friend who I’m sure would love it. But I must insist on paying. It’s far too precious to be given away.”</p><p>The older woman laughs and beckons him over to the counter. He’s certain she still far undercharges him for it, so he pitches in to help Claude pay for the two ‘absolutely gorgeous- they’re going to <em>die</em>’ side tables he’d found on his adventures. Claude leaves his information behind at the shop so that one of his roommates can swing by to pick up the tables the next day. Once all that’s settled, the two of them head back out onto the streets.</p><p>It’s getting late, the sun starting to dip down towards the horizon. They’ve both worked up something of an appetite again, so they wander, noses turned to catch any scent that might entice them to spend just a little more of their hard earned gil.</p><p>“Hey Andi?”</p><p>Claude pipes up after they’ve walked for a while. Ending up in a small plaza of quiet shops. Andrea turns towards his friend. It’s odd for him to sound so... cautious.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“You don’t have to say anything of course, but I’m curious about something.”</p><p>Okay that, Andrea wasn’t expecting. He stops, turning to face Claude as the other stops to perch on one of the low half walls.</p><p>“About?”</p><p>“The other night, when Cloud came by your place. When he wasn’t...well.” Claude twists his fingers through the strap of his purse, cradled on his lap. A tiny furrow between his eyes as they dart carefully up to Andrea’s. “I know you said you weren’t sure what was going on but. Well, to me it. It looked an awful lot like the fits my brother used to get.”</p><p>Andrea’s hearts twists a little. Oh god, that’s right. Claude’s brother had been a Mako junkie. Andrea internally slaps himself for forgetting. Of course he’d been so quick to adapt to what’d happened that night then. Andrea remembers more than a few rough nights, when Claude had come to him in worried and frustrated tears back at the Inn. And just how awful it’d been when his brother finally succumbed to the poisoning.</p><p>God that whole part of his life had been <em>why</em> Claude had developed such a passion and talent for makeup work. Trying to hide both his brother’s deteriorating condition and his own worried, sleepless face.</p><p>“I guess I. I’m just worried...” Claude continues a little haltingly. Twisting his fingers together. “If Cloud’s-”</p><p>“He’s not.” Andrea reaches out, closes a firm hand against Claude’s upper arm and squeezes tight. “Their situations are very different from what I’ve been told.”</p><p>“So it’s a SOLDIER thing, too?” Claude sounds a touch skeptical. Not that Andrea blames him. He’s still trying to wrap his head around it. That Shinra would inflict such horrific side effects on their elites. It doesn’t surprise him necessarily. He’s learned too much of the mega-corporations ways for that he thinks. But it still sickens him to think of for long.</p><p>“That’s my understanding of it.” Andrea says with a nod. Though truthfully he still isn’t quite sure how much he believes it himself. “Though I don’t think it was helped by the fact he’d been working much too hard.”</p><p>“Poor boy. That’s awful if it’s true.” Claude nods, that worried furrow easing out into something sympathetic. “He’s really lucky he has you Andi.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help the slightly startled laugh that trips out of him. “What?”</p><p>“Well, I mean, I’m morally obligated to say that about anyone who’s caught my best friend’s eye. But honestly. He is.” There’s a serious light in Claude’s gaze. One Andrea doesn’t often see. “There’s a reason you were our shining star and it’s not just because you killed it every night on the dance floor. Wall Market was an absolutely miserable place for everyone. But you never let that stop you. You’ve always shone so bright for all of us. You kept us safe from the Don. We were <em>your</em> Bees, Andi. And that’s something we could be proud of down there. I know I still am.”</p><p>“Claude-” Andrea can’t help the sudden, tight waver to his voice. But his friend continues.</p><p>“And I also know I’m not alone in saying that you deserve some peace after all you did down there. For everybody. Not more worry.” Claude braces his hands on his hips. An adorably stubborn light in his eyes. “So Cloud’d better smarten up and recognize that. That’s all I’m saying.”</p><p>“I think you did a little more than that.” Andrea manages. Quite proud of himself it only sounds a little watery.</p><p>“Maybe. But it needed to be said.” Claude says with calm certainty as he hooks his bag back over his shoulder. Then he looks up and his eyes go wide. “Oh Andi, no. Don’t go teary on me! I’ll run- I didn’t put on my waterproof today.”</p><p>Frantically Claude digs through his bag for a handful of tissues and thrusts a good portion of them at Andrea. The dancer takes them with a bubbling laugh, carefully dotting at his own eye line. Claude fans his face delicately, expression sweetly torn between worry and hilarious frustration.</p><p>“Well.” Andrea manages, much more steadily a few moments later. “Can’t say Lucia ever quite brought me to tears. Not sure if you get to keep favourite privileges after that.”</p><p>“Oh please, honey. I’m just looking out for you and you know it.”</p><p>“I do.” Something warm and genuine curls over Andrea expression. “Thank you Claude. Truly.”</p><p>“Of course. I just don’t want you to forget to keep an eye on yourself when you’re running around after everybody else.”</p><p>“Hm. Good thing I've got you to watch my back then, no?”</p><p>“Exactly. Now I’ve been dragging you around all day. What do <em>you</em> want to do?”</p><p>“Well… I suppose there’s a stop or two I’d like to make before Cloud gets back.”</p><p>“Ohhh?” The grin Claude gives him is far too sly for his face. Andrea rolls his eyes and nudges him with a shoulder. Claude just laughs, grabbing his arm and towing Andrea forward out of the plaza. “Say no more. Let’s go!”</p><p>Andrea arches a brow as he follows Claude down a series of streets and into another small side alley. “You know where I had in mind, do you?”</p><p>Claude gives him a <em>look</em>. “Andi. Please. Don’t insult me. Now come on. Let’s go spice up your sex life. If that boy won’t sit still, we’ll give him some damn good reasons to.”</p><p>“Oh my god.” Andrea groans, laughing despite himself as Claude all but shoves him into the familiar store.</p><p>“Oh psh. You hush up. Harlow!” Claude calls, loud even over the music. “Where are you, you magnificent angel of mercy? Andi’s in dire straits.”</p><p>There’s a booming laugh from somewhere further in and a moment later, Harlow’s familiar face pops around the corner.</p><p>“Well well, it <em>is</em> my favourite honey boys. Come in, come in!” They wave one perfectly manicured hand at them. Long lime, green nails glossy in the bright shop lights. Andrea greets his long-time supplier with a smile. Harlow returns it with a grin. It’s borderline wicked. “What this I hear about <em>you</em> being in trouble, Andi?”</p><p>Andrea goes to answer, but Claude drapes himself dramatically over Andrea’s shoulder. “You’ve gotta help him Harls. You’re our last hope. He’s got it <em>bad</em>.”</p><p>“Yes, thank you for the input dear.” Andrea sighs, patting Claude arm and trying to duck out of his grip. Naturally the other just holds on tighter. He sees the sly expression curling Harlow’s broad, dark features. Oh wonderful.</p><p>“My god. Has our Queen finally gotten caught in someone else’s honey pot?”</p><p>“You could say that.” Andrea concedes with a shrug, finally dislodging Claude from his perch. The other man laughs nudging him.</p><p>“Claude, quit teasing the poor man. Why don’t you go check out the new flavours we got in. I want your opinion on something.” Harlow says, jerking their chin towards the next aisle.</p><p>“Oh I see how it is. Fine. Fine! I can have fun on my own.” Claude pouts, flitting away with quick steps. Harlow just cheekily waves him off and gestures for Andrea to follow as they head back towards the counter.</p><p>“Well go on. Tell me about them.”</p><p>“Careful Harl. He’s liable to go on for an age about this one.” Claude calls from his place, blowing Andrea a kiss when the dancer sinks his head onto his hands.</p><p>“Oh really?” Harlow says, attention on Andrea. Again, he nods. He’s not out to deny his very obvious affection for Cloud. And it’s not that either of his friend’s teasing is entirely without merit. Somedays Andrea can’t believe it himself. Just how deep his feelings are capable of running for another. It’s certainly unlike anything he’s ever experienced before. Still when he finally manages to look back up at Harlow, the tilt of their expression is surprisingly soft. Sympathetic even. “Never thought I’d see the day Rhodea.”</p><p>“Neither did I.”</p><p>“Got any pictures?” Harlow nudges him with an elbow. No surprise, Harlow’s <em>all</em> about visual aesthetics. Still the question does bring a thought to mind. He wonders if Cloud would ever let him take pictures. He’ll have to ask one of these days.</p><p>“Wouldn’t do him justice.” Andrea replies evenly, grinning just a little when Harlow blinks and then laughs.</p><p>“Oh my god. I thought Claude was kidding. Sweetie, you are <em>in it</em>.”</p><p>“I know. I’ve accepted my fate.” Andrea shrugs, casual and meaning every word. After all, he knows he’s lucky- more than, really. Harlow flips glittery, curled strands of black hair from their eyes.</p><p>“Good. What’s his name?”</p><p>“Cloud.”</p><p>“How sweet.”</p><p>Andrea laughs, nodding absently. “He can be. When he’s not rumbling with his usual storms.”</p><p>“Ah, I see. Looking for a way to calm the storm then?” Harlow taps their lacquered nails on the counter top. Eyes going a touch lidded as they arch a brow pointedly. “Or awaken it?”</p><p>“Little of both I think.” Andrea says. God, it’s been a constant whirling hum in the back of his head. Bouncing between two near extreme ends of the scale with incredible, wild frequency. Harlow hums in understanding, grin crawling back onto their face.</p><p>“Do you want a hand finding anything?”</p><p>“No, I think I’ve got a good idea what I’m after.” Andrea says, over the ringing of the bell as a few more patrons spill into the store. Harlow nods and heads towards their new customers.</p><p>“Alright. Just give me a shout when you need me.”</p><p>Left to his own devices- finally- Andrea wanders the aisles. Eyeing both the familiar and new as he walks. Pausing to eye a few things now and then. He’s not after much really, not this time. He’s actually been toying with the idea of seeing if he can talk Cloud into coming with him one day. Pick out things together to have a bit of fun with.</p><p>But that’ll be for later. It’s probably going to take a while. Both to work through Cloud’s shyness as well as their busy schedules. Still, no reason Andrea can’t start things off.</p><p>Especially since he does still have a promise to keep. Such as it were.</p><p>Claude joins him after he’s picked out and paid for his supplies. Ribs Andrea teasingly when he spots a few of them. “Oh boy, you two are in for some fun huh? Spoiled, spoiled.”</p><p>“Me or him?” Andrea chuckles. Claude rolls his eyes.</p><p>“Both, obviously.”</p><p>“Bye, bye little bees. Don’t stay away too long!” Harlow calls after them as they duck out of the shop. They wave back and head back to the main street. Claude stretched with a groan.</p><p>“God, my feet are killing me. Where did this day go?”</p><p>“Into makeup bags, side tables and sex toys, obviously. Did you have fun?” Andrea asks, bumping the other with his hip. Claude grins and nods.</p><p>“Of course. But if I don’t get something to eat soon I’m going to start snacking on the tester lube Harls gave me.”</p><p>Andrea laughs, “Oh well that won’t do. Come on, I know just the place.”</p><p>He’s been meaning to pay Seventh Heaven a visit for a while now anyway.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Girl's Night Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Long-er chapter today. Making up for last time and also just...had a lot I wanted to cover.</p><p>Slight content warning in this- outside of Andi being a sentimental sap of course- but Tifa does have a moment she mentions having moments of suicidal ideation. So just...be real careful with yourselves lovelies! Happens after she brings up Aeirth so if you need to skip a bit to the end then go for it. &lt;3</p><p>And as ever Avasti is the wonder beta who puts up with all me BS and does the finest of work &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why am I not surprised.” Claude says with a grin once he spots the sign hanging above the bar. “This is Cloud’s place isn’t it?”</p><p>“Actually it belongs to a very kind and charming young woman named Tifa.”</p><p>“Oh right. I remember you mentioning her before. Is she the one you’re making plans with next week?”</p><p>“Indeed. Come on. They’ve got some of the best food and drinks in town. And no, that’s not a biased opinion.” Andrea says cutting off the slightly skeptical look he can see brewing in Claude’s eyes. His friend rolls his eyes good naturedly and follows Andrea up the short steps.</p><p>The bell tinkles merrily in the evening air as they step into the pleasantly cool interior of the bar. Claude looks almost immediately charmed by the set up. Not that that surprises Andrea of course. The atmosphere alone makes Seventh Heaven stand out in Edge. It’s a quiet evening too, just a few patron’s scattered about the space in small groups. Tifa’s just stepping out from behind the bar with a tray of drinks when she spots them.</p><p>“Andi, hello! It’s so good to see you.” She greets, that warm, familiar smile bright on her face. Andrea waves to her with a laugh.</p><p>“Sorry for dropping in, but we’ve been out all day.”</p><p>“No, no! Not at all, make yourselves comfortable wherever. I’ll be right with you.” She says, hurrying over towards a group of her other customers. That simple, easy going charm in her voice as she apologizes for what Andrea doubts was more than a few minutes wait. He knows Tifa has an absolutely insane work ethic and the efficiency to more than back it up.</p><p>“No rush.” He assures her, turning back to Claude. “Well you heard the lady. Where do you want to sit?”</p><p>They wind up parking themselves in the booth table close to the bar. Tucking their bags underneath it as they sprawl out into the surprisingly comfortable leather seats. Just settling in seems to take a load off of Andrea’s shoulders. Drinking in the familiar sights, sounds and smells. If he listens close enough, he’s pretty sure he can hear the kids upstairs. Probably busy finishing up their school work or playing. There’s also a heavy thud of footsteps and he remembers that Barret’s probably still around too.</p><p>Claude finally peels himself away from admiring the photos scattered along the walls.</p><p>“Alright, fine. They get full points for charm.” He concedes with a grin. “Both in decor and service.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, “Would I ever steer you wrong?”</p><p>“Oh no I don’t think <em>you</em> would, Andi. It’s your libido I don’t trust.” Claude replies easily, dodging the way Andrea swats at him with a giggle as he scoops up the laminated menu and starts pouring over it. Andrea’s fairly certain he’s just going to stick with his usual, but it’s habit by now to at least give things a once over.</p><p>Tifa’s with them again in record time. Andrea pries himself out of the bench and gives her a tight hug.</p><p>“It’s so good to see you again. How’ve things been?” He asks as they part, leaning back against the edge of the table easily. Tifa sighs, that slightly rundown warmth of working in the public.</p><p>“It’s been good. Had quite a rush earlier, but now it’s just our regulars. Who’s your friend?” She asks, leaning around him to wave at Claude. Claude pushes himself to his feet and extends a hand.</p><p>“Claude. Charmed to meet you ma’am.”</p><p>“This poor little bee’s been hovering around me since Midgar.” Andrea explains, ignoring the fond eyeroll that Claude gives in response. Tifa laughs at them both and reaches out to take Claude’s hand. Andrea catches the way his brow arches slightly, clearly impressed by the strength of her grip.</p><p>“Well it’s nice to meet another of Andi’s friends. I’m Tifa.”</p><p>“Tifa...” Claude repeats, testing the name slowly. Then he smiles, nods to himself. “That’s a lovely name. You’re really beautiful.”</p><p>“H-huh?” Tifa’s eyes go wide, surprised. Claude raises his hands, taking a metaphorical step back as it were.</p><p>“I’m sorry, please tell me off if I’m making you uncomfortable. My mouth tends to run away with me.”</p><p>“Oh! No, no. Not at all. I just- thank you. That’s really sweet of you to say.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles a little to himself. Claude tends to have that effect on people he’s found. He just has the sort of sweet, open personality that draws people to him all too naturally. He's definitely about as unassuming and harmless as his outward appearance suggests. Wears his heart on his sleeve and then some.</p><p>Andrea admits he’d figured Tifa and him would get along for that very reason.</p><p>“Did you know what you wanted to order yet?” Tifa asks with a faintly charmed smile. Claude blinks and then immediately looks sheepish.</p><p>“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I got sidetracked. May I have a few minutes?”</p><p>Tifa laughs and nods. “No trouble, I’ll pop by again in a bit.”</p><p>The two of them sink back into the booth, Claude plucking up the menu again. Andrea leans just a little into his space, eyeing the tiny furrow between his friend’s eyes.</p><p>“Need a hand?” He asks under his breath. Tone light and easy, always mindful of the way Claude’s self conscious about the struggle he has reading. Claude shoots him a grateful look, but shakes his head.</p><p>“Nah, I’m okay. Just need a minute.”</p><p>Andrea nods and shifts back into his own space. Glances around, surprised again not to see the kids down here. But he’s heard creaking and shuffling through the ceiling. They must be upstairs. Probably busy with school work he imagines.</p><p>Still, there’s also a heavier, less familiar set of steps on the creaky stairs. And a moment later Barret ducks out from the doorway behind the bar.</p><p>“Yo, Tifa!”</p><p>“Yes?” Tifa turns to him where she was clearing one of the tables.</p><p>“Where’d you say that keg was?”</p><p>“Oh sorry Barret, Cloud had it stored in the garage. Didn’t have a chance to bring it in before he left.”</p><p>Barret nods and waves her off as he disappears again. “I got it, don’t worry.”</p><p>“Thanks!” She calls after him, expertly balancing a tray full of mugs, plates and silverware as she slips back behind the counter. Barret returns a moment later, a large, dark wood barrel over one shoulder. He places it down where Tifa directs him, resting a broad hand over top it.</p><p>“Man I’ve been looking forward to this. Sure we can’t just crack it open today? A little tester, you know.”</p><p>Tifa laughs and arches a brow, “I told Cid we’d wait for him to get here. And unless <em>you</em> want to be the one to deal with him-”</p><p>“Alright, alright.” Barret grumbles, lifting his hand off the barrel with a sigh. “Guess I should be glad he’s showin’ up before I’m leaving, huh?”</p><p>Cid. It’s a name Andrea remembers Cloud mentioning a handful of times in the past. Another one of his and Tifa’s companions from their adventuring days. If Andrea’s putting the name to what Cloud’d said correctly, Cid’s a pilot of some sort. And clearly Cloud’s mention of the man’s temper must be more than legitimate to ward off someone like Barret.</p><p>“Andi, oh my <em>god</em>.”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea frowns, eyeing his friend. Claude’s been<em> weirdly</em> quiet this whole time, especially for him. And now it’s very obvious something- or some<em>one</em>- has his attention. He’s not even looking at Andrea. No, Claude’s looking at-</p><p>“Who <em>is</em> he? He’s gorgeous...”</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Andrea’s lips edge into a sharp, slightly wicked grin. “But honey, Tifa already mentioned his name. Weren’t you listening?”</p><p>“I was distracted.” Claude says, still staring and entirely without shame. Eyes fixed on Barret at the man shuffled about, easing out from behind the counter behind Tifa.</p><p>“I can see that. But have you decided what you want?” Andrea pauses, expression twisting into something even more sly. “And I mean besides the tall, broad, dark drink of water you’re currently making eyes at.”</p><p>“You’re the worst.” Claude whines and Andrea’s convinced it’s only Tifa coming over towards them again that stops him from dropping his head onto the tabletop. She locks her hands behind herself, leaning a little to smile at them.</p><p>“Had enough time?”</p><p>“I’m sticking with my usual today.” Andrea replies and Tifa chuckles, nodding. Her vermillion eyes flicker to Claude and she smiles.</p><p>“Uh, I’ll get the Costa Sunset and the Angel’s Quesadilla. Please.”</p><p>“Sure thing!” Tifa replies, taking their menus. “I’ll bring you some water too, it was a warm one today.”</p><p>“You are a saint.” Andrea tells her with a thankful grin and she flits off again. Barret’s perched at the bar, the two of them chatting easily as Tifa works.</p><p>“You’re staring, sweet pea.” Andrea says, voice a sing-song lilt around a toothy grin as he nudges Claude with an elbow.</p><p>“Uh, yeah.” Claude replies, gesturing in Barret’s general direction. Andrea can happily admit that Barret does have a very striking profile, even if he’s not the sort of person Andrea usually leans towards. Though he does know the man ticks approximately all of Claude’s little vice boxes. He really ought to have seen the fixation coming, he supposes. Though truthfully Andrea admits he’d forgotten that Barret would still be around.</p><p>Not a bad end to a rather fun day, especially for Claude’s sake.</p><p>Tifa brings their drinks to them quickly and Andrea can smell the positively mouthwatering scent of their food already rising into the air. Andrea takes his Cosmo Canyon with a quiet “Thank you.” and tips his head.</p><p>“Where’re the kids today? Odd not to see them hanging around.”</p><p>Tifa sighs a little, setting Claude’s drink in front of him. “Denzel got into some trouble at school so he’s doing some extra work upstairs. Marlene’s keeping him company, but I’m sure she’ll be down in a while.”</p><p>Andrea hums, knowing it’s definitely not his place to pry into their lives. Takes an absent sip and smiles.. “Exquisite as always, Tifa dear. Thank you so much.”</p><p>“Of course. Let me know if you want refills or need anything else?”</p><p>She hurries off to see to her other customers. Andrea settled back comfortably in the booth, one arm slung along the back of it as he angles himself towards Claude. His sipping at his bright, sunny yellow and orange drink. A content smile hovering around the edge of his mouth, though Andrea notes his wandering eyes. Always drifting back on place- one person- in particular. It’s cute, and honestly it’s kinda fun not being the infatuated one for a few minutes. It’s been a while since he got to do any teasing on that front after all.</p><p>“I can hear you scheming Andi. Don’t start. You don’t get to say <em>anything</em>. You still have it the actual worst of anyone I know.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, shrugging, “Doesn’t mean I can’t still have a bit of fun, does it?”</p><p>“I like the fact you’re not denying it anymore.” Claude says with a chuckle, resting his cheek on his fist. “So, you think you’ll hit your deadline? With your new team, I mean.”</p><p>The dancer hums, nodding, “Easily. Honestly I just need to run a few interviews now. I think I’ve got a feel for most of them already. Won’t take long.”</p><p>“Think you’ll need a hand?”</p><p>“Not for that no. But if you’d be willing to coordinate with Lucia I’d appreciate it. Just until I get things wrapped up on my end.”</p><p>“Sure thing Andi.”</p><p>Claude's easy, ready compliance makes Andrea smile. He’s always been appreciative of his friend’s willingness to jump in and assist, no matter the task. Edges Andrea a little further from teasing him.</p><p>Well.</p><p>Too much anyway.</p><p>Because he’s seated closest to the entry that leads into the house proper, Andrea hears the familiar patter of little feet on the creaking stairs. A moment later Marlene peeks out, the smile on her face getting bigger when she spots her father.</p><p>“Daddy!” The words barely out of her mouth before Barret’s getting up from his seat at the bar, holding out one big hand.</p><p>“Hey, there’s my angel girl.” Marlene dashes over into his waiting arm and Barret scoops her up onto his shoulder. “Did you get all your school work done?”</p><p>“Yep!”</p><p>“That’s my girl.” Barret says, so much pride in his voice that you’d think Marlene had told him she’d solved all the world’s problems. Marlene beams, obviously pleased by the praise nonetheless. Marlene starts chattering away at him, clearly all too happy to be able to tell him the details.</p><p>“Aww. He’s got a kid?” Claude says, straightening up a little. Eyes going soft as he watches the father-daughter duo. An edge of wistfulness to his sigh. “Oh his partner must be lovely too. Look at her.”</p><p>Andrea takes another absent sip of his drink. “Actually, as far as I’m aware, he’s a single parent.”</p><p>“...Really?” Claude twists to look at him. Eyes wide and startled like it’s the most surprising thing he’s heard all evening. “But- but why? <em>How</em>? I mean-” Again Claude’s voice runs away from him in an adorable little mumble. Distracted again as Barret lets Marlene slip down to the ground again. Andrea admits he’s always found it sweet, how very gentle the man is with her.</p><p>“Think I’m really starting to understand the fun you all have at <em>my</em> expense.” Andrea teases him, gently nudging Claude’s drink towards him.</p><p>“Oh ha ha.” Claude sighs, cradling his cheek in hand, a small pout on his lips as he sips at it. “Knowing my usual luck, he wouldn’t be interested anyway.”</p><p>Andrea shrugs, casually. “Won’t know unless you try.”</p><p>“I wish I had even a tenth of your confidence Andi.” Claude says with a weary little laugh.</p><p>Andrea hums around a sip of his drink. “It’s all about showing the world you’re worth more than they could ever imagine. And treating yourself just the same.”</p><p>“Ugh, you make it sound so easy.” Claude takes a long sip of his brightly colored cocktail. Swirling it around as he sighs again. His soft brown eyes glancing over at Andrea. “Guess it is for you, though. You’re Andrea Rhodea. I’m just...boring old me.”</p><p>Andrea blinks and frowns a touch. “Claude-”</p><p>“What? I’m just saying.” Claude says with a tiny shrug. Far too casual for the sullen lilt of his voice. “I’m not smart, or all that pretty unless I doll myself up-”</p><p>Andrea sets his glass down with a loud clink and turns to face his friend. Lifting a finger to point sternly at the other.</p><p>“Excuse me, but no. No one is allowed to bad mouth one of my Bees, thank you very much. I didn’t stand for it back then and I sure as hell don’t now.” Andrea drops his finger, tapping over Claude’s heart with a firm press to emphasize his point. “You are brilliant, intuitive and one of the kindest souls I know.”</p><p>“Andi...” Claude blinks, surprised. His shoulders hunching a little, tucking at hair he no longer has. A funny habit he’s had for as long as Andrea’s known him, even though he’d taken to buzzing his hair years ago while working at the Inn. A shy little smile nesting in the corner of his lips. “Thanks.”</p><p>“Sorry for the wait!” Tifa’s bright voice breaks over them. They both turn to see her and Marlene headed towards them, each carrying a plate loaded up with all too delicious smelling food. Tifa deposits hers in front of Claude and Marlene heads towards Andrea.</p><p>“Hi Andi!”</p><p>“Good evening Marlene.” Andrea replies with a fond smile, reaching out to relieve her of her burden. “How are you?”</p><p>“I’m good.” She replies, hoping up on the chair across from him. Her dark eyes flit over towards Claude and she tips her head. “Are you Andi’s friend?”</p><p>“Mmm hmm. One of my oldest and very best.” Andrea says with a warm grin aimed at Claude. Marlene nods, and reaches a hand across the table towards him.</p><p>“Nice to meet you.”</p><p>Andrea sees Claude melt just a little, smile going all soft and charmed at the girl. Feels a little better about his own horrendously soft spot for the child. Claude reaches out and takes her hand delicately. “It’s very nice to meet you too, Miss Marlene. My name’s Claude.”</p><p>Marlene giggles, clearly pleased by the ‘grown up’ title. She settles “Are you a dancer like Andi?”</p><p>Claude chuckles, eyeing Andi for a moment. “Well, I don’t think anybody is a dancer quite like Andi. I can dance, but my favorite thing is doing backstage work.”</p><p>“Backstage?” Marlene asks, an adorable, curious furrow to her brow.</p><p>“Mm hmm! Doing costumes and especially make up. That kind of thing.”</p><p>Marlene lights up, excitement bright in her eyes as she leans further on the table. “Oh! Did you do all those costumes for the spring dance? Everyone looked so pretty!”</p><p>“Aww, that’s very sweet of you to say. I definitely didn’t do all of them, but I helped out where I could. I’m so glad you enjoyed the show. Makes all the hard work worth it. Did you have a favorite part?”</p><p>The two of them chatter away about the spring production for a while. Andrea listens with a smile, picking away at his meal, just as delicious as always.</p><p>“What’s that on your hand?” Marlene pipes up after a moment, pointing to Claude’s right hand.</p><p>“Hmm?” Claude follows her gaze and then grins. “Oh! They’re flowers.” Claude replies, holding out his hand to Marlene can see the delicate daisies etched out in glossy polish on his nails.</p><p>“Wow! Did <em>you</em> paint them?”</p><p>“Yep. I sure did.”</p><p>“It’s really pretty. You did a good job.” Marlene says, her smile bright and charming and it’s all too fun to see someone slip under her sweet little spell. Claude’s expression goes all gooey and soft as he smiles.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>There’s a heavy fall of footsteps and Andrea glances up to see Barret coming over towards them. The bright lights glint off the barrel of his gun arm. He waves to the other man and smiles a little when it’s returned, though Barret’s attention quickly turns back to his daughter.</p><p>“Marlene baby, I know just you’re being friendly, but don’t bother folk when they’re tryin’ to eat, okay?”</p><p>Marlene pulls back a bit, looking a touch sheepish as she glances back at her father. Claude perks up a little. Hands dropping and Andrea sees him twist his fingers together in his lap.</p><p>“She’s no bother.” He says, eyes darting towards Marlene with a familiar warmth in them. “If anything, she’s being sweet. Keeping us boring old grown ups company.”</p><p>“You’re not boring!” Marlene counters immediately, a stubborn furrow on her brow. Andrea buries a grin into his next bite of dip. Gaia bless this girl and her sweet soul. Claude looks startled for a moment before he offers Marlene a heartfelt smile. His eyes dart to Barret and he gives a little shrug.</p><p>“See? No trouble at all.”</p><p>Barret’s watching Marlene with that typical softness to his expression. The one that reshapes his whole face, his whole being into something new. Pride and love and so much else hovering bright in his soulful eyes. They drift back over to Claude after a moment.</p><p>“Heh, well alright. I didn’t catch your name.”</p><p>“O-oh! Uh, I- it’s Claude. I’m one of Andi’s friends.” Claude hurriedly wipes his already immaculate fingers off on a napkin and holds out a hand to Barret. The big man hums and returns the gesture. Andrea’s actually kind of impressed Claude doesn’t swoon on the spot when Barret’s larger hand all but completely envelopes his.</p><p>“Huh, well good to meet you then. Name’s Barret.” Barret gives Claude’s hand a firm shake before dropping it. Nods his head towards Marlene. “This here’s my little angel. I’m guessing you know Spike, too?”</p><p>“Spike...? Oh!” Claude has that twist to his expression like he’s trying very hard not laugh. Andrea’s pretty sure it’s for his sake, but he’s not out to deny the moniker’s apt. “You mean Cloud. I’ve only met him a few times.”</p><p>“Heh. Well ‘s about all you need for that one.” There’s that same kind of amused, annoyed, fondness to Barret’s voice. “I’ll let you get back to it. Marlene you keep being a good girl for me, yeah?”</p><p>“I will Daddy!” Marlene replies brightly, waving the big man off as he ducks back behind the bar. Immediately the girl’s attention goes back to what she and Claude had been talking about before. Chattering away all too happily about her favorite performances from the recital. Claude listens and engages with her easily, though it does take him a minute or two to drag his focus back from where Barret had so clearly snatched it again. Andrea doesn’t mind nudging him along.</p><p>His own plate all but licked clean, Andrea excuses himself from the table. There’s only one other group of regulars hovering near the window now. Talking and drinking. Andrea glances at the time and knows Tifa’s going to be giving the last call soon. She spots him coming and turns to meet him with a smile as Andrea perches on one of the stools.</p><p>“Hey, how were things?”</p><p>“Wonderful as always.” He assures her with a grin. “So about next week, I can absolutely do Thursday. My classes only run till noon that day and so it’ll give us a few hours at least.”</p><p>“Oh really? That’s great!” Tifa says, smile brightening a touch more. Sparks a quiet kind of happiness in Andrea’s chest. One that stings just a little too, if only because Tifa still seems surprised by the offer. He’s going to do right by her soon. A silent promise he makes to her and to himself.</p><p>“Excellent. Would you like a hand with things?”</p><p>“Hmm? Oh no, it’s okay. I actually like it. It’s...routine, I guess?”</p><p>“I can understand that. Company then?”</p><p>“What about your friend?” Tifa asks, something just the side of cautious in her voice. Andrea glances back to the booth. Chuckling when he finds Marlene’s wasted no time occupying his seat. Claude’s pulled out one of his shopping bags and is showing her all the fun, bright colored nail polishes he’d picked out.</p><p>Claude’s always been something of a natural around kids. Andrea’s always chalked it up both to his naturally sweet personality and the fact he’d been an older brother. The fact that Claude’d had kept that gentle core at the centre of his heart, despite being all but a native of Sector 6 like Andrea, is something the dancer has <em>always</em> admired about him.</p><p>“Oh I think he’s just fine. Besides, he wouldn’t begrudge me from spending time with another friend...” Andrea says, trailing off a little carefully as he looks back at Tifa. A soft question in his voice. The young woman blinks at him, then that pretty, warm smile of hers lights up.</p><p>“Well if you’re sure.”</p><p>“Absolutely. Now, we were talking upholstery the other day, no?”</p><p>Time passes all too quickly. A warm haze of good food, drink and chatter. Tifa gives out the last call and after that, in seemingly no time at all, she’s trailing the last guests as they head out. Locking up and flipping their sign to closed. Andrea takes it on himself to cart back the remaining dishes to the counter for her, snatching up a take away box because he can already see Claude’s gotten too sidetracked to finish his meal.</p><p>“Claude honey, I think we should probably be going.” Andrea says, setting the container by his friend and offering Marlene an apologetic smile that he’s going to snatch away her apparent new playmate. He also notes that the ends of her fingers are looking a bit more colorful than they had less than an hour ago. Chuckles to himself. Should’ve known Claude wouldn’t be able to resist.</p><p>“O-oh of course. I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention to the time.” Claude scrambles up from his seat, gathering up his things in a flurry as he goes. Andrea chuckles as he bends to retrieve his bag from underneath the table.</p><p>“It’s no trouble at all.” Tifa says, raising her hands to sooth Claude’s flustered stammer. “Thanks for spending time with Marlene.”</p><p>Claude shakes his head quickly. “No, no. If anything she’s the one who kept me company. Thank you very much for your time Miss Marlene.”</p><p>He sketches a quick bow to the girl and she grins. Dipping into an adorable, slightly wobbly curtsy in turn.</p><p>“You’re welcome. Come back and tell me more stories sometime, okay?”</p><p>Claude blinks, looking faintly stunned. Honestly Andrea’s glad for the proof that Marlene absolutely has that effect on everyone. So quick to wrap people around her little fingers.</p><p>“Oh, uh. Sure. I-I mean if that’s alright...?” His eyes dart towards Barret, who’d just come back down from upstairs. Andrea spots that little rise of color tickling his face again when the big man glances over. The expression on his face drifting between parental protectiveness and that familiar soft warmth. Then he smiles and Andrea is actually rather proud of Claude for not just swooning immediately.</p><p>Though he does catch his sudden, grasping hand and squeezes his fingers. A silent show of support.</p><p>“Sure, ‘course it is.” Barret rumbles good naturedly. Clearly just pleased that his daughter’s happy.</p><p>“Then we’ll both definitely be back.” Andrea says with a grin, knowing Claude’s too tongue tied to respond. Though he does nod, slowly at first clearly still stunned. Then with greater enthusiasm. Marlene nods too, firm and pleased. Like she knew before hand that she was going to get her way.</p><p>As they step out of Seventh Heaven Claude finally lets out the breath he’d been holding.</p><p>“Oh my god, that’s not even fair.”</p><p>Andrea just laughs, throwing an arm around his shoulders and tugging them both off towards his apartment. He has a feeling they could both use a good old fashion sleepover night. Painting nails, staying up way too late and talking about the absolutely gorgeous men that have stumbled so unexpectedly into their lives.</p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Laurem my dear, I’ve a favour to ask.”</p><p>As usual it’s the two of them left in the practise room, the others having scurried out either to escape the studio entirely or to make it to another class on time.</p><p>“Yes Andi?” The red haired girl turns to him. Andrea smiles at her.</p><p>“What would you say to taking on an extra class?”</p><p>She blinks at him. Several things flickering over her expression before it falls a touch. “O-oh. I. You think I need extra practice?”</p><p>“No, no.” Andrea counters immediately with a shake of his head. “You’re doing very well. And besides, I know you’ve been sneaking off to get extra practice in whenever you can already.” Laruem flinches and Andrea can already see the excuses and apologies on her lips. He holds up a hand and shakes his head with a smile. “It’s okay. You’re not in any trouble. I used to do the exact same thing when I was your age.”</p><p>A tentative smile curls over Laruem’s face. “Hard to picture you struggling with dance.”</p><p>“Oh I certainly did. For quite a long time before I found my feet. I see the same drive in you though. All I wanted to ask is if you’d be willing to be part of a little...experiment, I guess.”</p><p>“Oh?” There’s a flash of intrigue in Laruem’s gaze as she straightens up.</p><p>“The Director’s given me a rather challenging task. She’d asked I put together a special class to perform at our upcoming Fall Recital. And I’d really like to put you on it.”</p><p>Laruem looks stunned, gaping at him for a moment. That bright spark of wonder and excitement lighting up in the back of her eyes. “Seriously?”</p><p>“Completely.” Andrea replies.</p><p>“I- I’d love to! Oh.” Her expression tears a little, eyes and smile falling. “Oh, but my schooling.”</p><p>Andrea raises a hand and nods. It’s why he’d debated so long about asking her. He knows very well that Lareum’s life outside the studio is an absolute madhouse. Going to school near full time, looking after a family of five younger siblings.</p><p>“I know you’re busy. And I don’t want you taking on more than you think you can handle. I just ask that you think it over and let me know by Monday at the latest. Alright?”</p><p>“I can do that.” Laurem says quickly, twisting the strap of her bag between her fingers. “I might have to shuffle some things around, but I-. I really want to.”</p><p>Andrea smiles, warm and proud.</p><p>“Let me know. And if it doesn’t work out this time, then that’s fine. It says absolutely nothing about your talents, just that you’ve got priorities outside. And I think that’s very admirable.”</p><p>Laruem nods and goes to leave. Andrea turns back to his papers but when he hears the door open, but not shut he looks up. Find her still hovering in the door way.</p><p>“Was there something you needed?”</p><p>“The other day- that man you were with.” Laurem bites absently at her lower lip before meeting his gaze. Something curious and tentative on her face. “Was that...Cloud Strife?”</p><p>Andrea feels a bright flicker of surprise as he straightens up. “...Yes. Yes it was. You know him?”</p><p>“Oh um. No. Not really.” Laurem shakes her head and tucks at her hair. Something faintly wistful twisting through her expression. “He wouldn’t remember. Sorry. I know it was a weird question. Have a good day, Andi.”</p><p>Before Andrea can get a word in edgewise, Laruem scurries from the practice room. A frown plucks at the edge of his lips. That was odd. Of course with how well travelled Cloud is, and given the nature of his line of work, Andrea supposes it’s not really a shock that people know of him. Still, Laruem sounded like she’d interacted with him directly in some capacity.</p><p>Thinking of Cloud though drags that nasty knot of anxiety back up from the depths Andrea’s shoved it in to. Feels like a weight sitting across his shoulders and against his chest. Pressure so tight it makes him ache which is why he’s been trying so hard to avoid it.</p><p>It’s been nearly a week now since he’s seen Cloud. In fact come tomorrow it’ll be his and Tifa’s long awaited hangout right after he escapes from work.</p><p>Cloud had reached out, to both of them though in the interim. Largely just to say it was going to take longer than he thought. Wasn’t sure when he’d be back. And that’d been nearly four days past.</p><p>So Andrea’d plunged himself head first into his work. He already has the entirety of his new class picked out. A group of about eight and if Laurem decides she can do it too, it’ll be his sought after nine. If she can’t he does have a few other names he’d be willing to give a shot. But he really hopes his young prodigy can work it out.</p><p>In Andrea’s down time he’s been just as busy as here, if not more so. Swinging his focus between sketching out plans and ideas for the recital as well as trying to figure out the best way to continue the lead he’d finally gotten on the Don. Leslie said he’d be willing to find a way out there to scout, but Andrea admits he’s hesitant. Doesn’t want to send the young man that far away without a solid plan and backup. It <em>is</em> Corneo they’re dealing with even if it’s no long within the Market.</p><p>Privately Andrea also has to admit he’s worried Leslie’s impatience could cost them.</p><p>It feels like he’s got hooks in him. Tiny, sharp, biting little things that tug and pull him in about a million different directions.</p><p>And that’s only getting into his waking hours.</p><p>With a tired sigh Andrea shoves the thoughts away and curls back over his work. A hand braced against his forehead as he makes himself focus on one thing at a time. He’s so close to finally getting through this sketch of an idea for the recital and he’ll be damned if he lets it sit another day. He’s got a whole afternoon of fun ahead of him and he’s not going to let outside distractions interrupt it.</p><p>It’s a while later that he hears the sharp click of heels in the hall outside. Not Narisa, because he knows the woman prefers flats if she’s not outright preforming. A moment later the door is flung open and through it a very familiar and very welcome face.</p><p>“Oh my god! There you are!” Lucia chimes, voice high with delight, the twang of her accent filling the space with immediate warmth. Andrea grinning even before he gets to his feet. Lucia all but flies across the space between them and Andrea catches her lunge. Hugging his old friend tight as she laughs. Something he can’t help returning. Lucia drops to the ground again and swats his shoulder.</p><p>“I’d say you look good but look at you. Do I even want to know how many hours you’ve put in this week?”</p><p>“Nice to see you too, dearest.” Andrea replies with a wry grin. Then he shrugs. “You know I like keeping busy.”</p><p>“Busy is one thing. This is not <em>busy</em> Andi, it’s you overthinking things.” Lucia says, clearly not impressed. Her hand seizes his and pulls him along. Andrea follows if only because he’s missed her. “When Claude told me you were practically living in here I knew we had to run intervention. Come on. We’re going out for a drink.”</p><p>“Alright, alright. I just need to finish-” Andrea digs his heels in a little, going to turn back. Lucia moves, quick as ever, to stand behind him, hands up. An unimpressed glower on his face.</p><p>“<em>No</em> Andi. You’re going manic again, I can see it clear as day. Now move your ass.” Lucia practically shoves him out the door right into Claude. His other ‘friend’ just cheerily loops an arm with his and drags him down the hall towards the entrance.</p><p>“Traitor.” Andrea grumbles to him under his breath. Claude just shrugs, looking far too pleased with himself.</p><p>“Hey, I knew I wasn’t going to have any luck getting you out of here. So I called in the cavalry.”</p><p>“The calv-” Andrea starts, but the words die in a rush of surprised delight as they burst through the doors into the warm afternoon sunshine. And the even warmer, wonderfully unexpected welcome sight of about a dozen of his Bees. Andrea gasps, throwing a hand over his mouth in a wash of sudden, intensely relieved surprise. “Oh my <em>god-</em>!”</p><p>He’s not even sure exactly what happens for the next couple of minutes. It’s just an overwhelming crush of emotion and smiles and voices. Of hands and hugs and blessedly familiar faces. Of <em>family</em> that he hasn’t had in years. He finds himself crying and cried at or on in equal measure. Claude more or less abandoned him when the other’s had swarmed forward and Andrea just knows he’s off hovering close, ready to fix the absolute mess his face has probably become.</p><p>Somehow, they migrate over to one of the picnic tables scattered across the grounds. Andrea quite thoroughly wedged on the bench in between Lucia and Raven. He’s pretty sure Becka is somewhere behind him on the left chatting with Claude and Markus. Daisy, Frida and Valor sprawled together in a familiar heap on the ground before the table. Sammi and Derek found a place to lean back against the side of the studio. Ellie’s got his head tucked up in Noah’s lap, dozing from what sounds like a trip and a half, all the way from Saucer.</p><p>Andrea is still stunned at the simple fact that any of them are here at all. Listens with blissful rapture as every one of them trades tales back and forth. All of them sound and look like they’re doing well and it’s a balm to his aching heart he hadn’t realized he’d needed. There’s a lot about his old life that he misses. But these people all around him are some of the biggest things. Each of them has carved out their own little piece of his heart and having been without them these past few years has been hard. So much harder than he’d ever thought. And even though things are so very different now, just being able to hear from them, to <em>see</em> them again is incredible.</p><p>Honestly, it sparks that determined fire in his gut. Makes it flare out through every inch of him. A drive to push forward, to keep working towards his goal of rebuilding. He knows not all of them will return. They’ve found their new lives, their new starts and he’s so, so happy for them it almost makes him tear up again. But he knows his place in the world, where he belongs. Knows there are a not insignificant number of those present here who are just waiting to jump back onto that stage.</p><p>The fact that, really, there’s just one loose end to tie up now is both thrilling and irritating. He wants it done and put to bed so he can move on.</p><p>The thought makes him pause. A whisper of consideration echoing in the back of his mind.</p><p>
  <em>Is that what Cloud’s doing, too...?</em>
</p><p>“So Andi.” Daisy pipes up, her hair a little longer than the pixie cut she used to keep it in. “We’ve been going on for ages, tell us about you!”</p><p>Andrea chuckles and shrugs, leaning a little more comfortably back against the table. “Not all that much to talk about. Most of my time has been spent here the last year or so.”</p><p>He hears Claude snort behind him and sends the other a glower. Obediently, Claude mimes zipping his lips. Just shrugging when the others around him try to prod for answers.</p><p>“Queen’s word.” Is all he says in return and blessedly keeps his silence.</p><p>“So is what Leslie said true? You’re really going after Corneo still?” Markus' voice is quiet, cautious. Andrea glances at their old receptionist. Nods.</p><p>“That’s right.”</p><p>“But Andi, this was your chance to get away from all that. We all know you hated it.” Sammi’s sweet face twists. A mask of clear worry on their tanned face. The other titter and nod in agreement. All those familiar eyes on him both blessing and curse in one.</p><p>“I know. But I’m not going to be able to move past any of it until this last thread is cut. Wouldn’t do for it to snag at some point in the future and just unravel the whole thing all over again.”</p><p>“Then let us help you.” Frida says, her wide, dark eyes serious. Even Ellie’s cracked his open and is gazing up at Andrea. “You’re not doing this on your own Andi. You have all of us.”</p><p>“I’m not going to ask you to put your lives on hold for this. It was my choice to step back into this mess. Yes-” Andrea cuts off the protests he can see in so many of their faces. Can’t help smiling. Fondness bleeding over the edges of his too full heart. God, he’s missed his contrary Bees. “I know. And if a time comes that I need the help, I will reach out. You have my word.”</p><p>His words seem to placate the others and another sickening rush of pride and warmth spills through him. Andrea knows he’s lucky. To hold the faith of so many in his hand. The fact that he <em>still</em> has it, despite the years between them. It’s not something Andrea ever wants to take for granted. It’d been a hard fought for, well, earned thing after all. As much a point of pride for him as the Inn as a whole had been.</p><p>A familiar tune chimes out and Andrea blinks, twisting to reach for his bag which Claude had scurried back in to get. He digs it out quickly and smiles when he sees the name.</p><p>“Excuse me all. I need to take this- Tifa hello, I was hoping to hear from you. Just give me one moment, please.” Andrea says getting to his feet. He wanders away a bit, waving behind him for them all to continue. He’s barely around the corner of the building before he hears the other’s voices behind him. Curious and buzzing. He rolls his eyes and chuckles good naturedly.</p><p>His Bees always <em>did</em> like to gossip.</p><p>“<em>Andi?</em>” Tifa’s voice sounds a moment later. A touch of uncertainty in her voice. Andrea pulls himself out of his reminiscing.</p><p>“Apologies Tifa. Please go ahead.”</p><p>“<em>I was just wondering what all you were planning on tomorrow.</em>”</p><p>“Well, I thought given the timing we could go for a spot of lunch somewhere. After that I hadn’t thought of anything too concrete. Was there anything you’d like to do?”</p><p>“<em>Oh. Umm.</em>” There’s a pause, a shuffle, then Tifa gives a slightly deprecating laugh. “<em>This is going to sound ridiculous, but I haven’t really had much time to go out. Nowhere except my suppliers and the gym downtown. And even that’s pretty rare.</em>”</p><p>Andrea can’t help grinning a little. “Well you know, I did have quite a lot of fun that day back in Midgar. You were an excellent opponent and I always thought it was rather a shame we never got a chance to rematch.”</p><p>“<em>H-huh? I mean, that sounds fun. But are you sure?</em>”</p><p>“Of course.” Andrea replies with an easy shrug. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d still love to take you dancing some day, but most places I know best won’t quite be open when we’re out. Besides, I do hope this isn’t the only chance we’ll get to spend time together.”</p><p>“<em>Of course not.</em>” Tifa replies immediately. Sounding sweet and worried. When she continues though, Andrea’s sure he catches a smile brightening her voice. “<em>Okay then. If it’s alright with you, where do you want to meet?</em>”</p><p>Andrea gives her directions to the eatery he adores, about halfway between the studio and the bar. Once she’s got them down Andrea pauses a moment. Leans back against the wall and tucks his phone a little closer. “You haven’t heard from Cloud by chance, have you?”</p><p>“<em>No. Not since he sent that message a while back. You either?</em>”</p><p>“I’m afraid not.” Andrea says, a frown marring his lips. He can’t say he expected different. But the silence on Cloud’s end is really starting to eat at him.</p><p>“<em>You worried?</em>”</p><p>“To some degree, yes. I know he’s more than capable of looking after himself but. Well. After last time...”</p><p>“<em>Mm.</em> <em>Yeah.</em> <em>Not much we can do though, if he doesn’t reach out first</em>.”</p><p>“Right...” Andrea murmurs with a sigh, fighting to keep the faint bitterness from his tone. God there’s little more he hates than the feeling of sitting around, twiddling his thumbs. Especially when he’s worried. “Well, until tomorrow afternoon then. Take care Tifa.”</p><p>“<em>Okay. You too Andi. See you tomorrow!</em>”</p><p>Andrea drops the phone from his ear and sighs. Unable to help the way his gaze turns towards Midgar’s ruined spectre for a moment. Again he tucks that anxious, sickening knot away and takes a breath. Lets it out slowly before he heads back to where his Bees are waiting. There’s a silent question to the tilt of Claude’s brow when the other catches sight of him. Andrea just gives him a wane smile and shakes his head. Again there’s a sympathetic tilt to Claude expression as he nods and jumps to his feet.</p><p>“Luci you promised me a drink and I’m positively <em>dying</em> for one right now.” He chimes with that bright, bubbly cheer they all love him for. Lucia rolls her eyes, flipping her beautifully ombre hair over one shoulder again. A good natured smile on her face.</p><p>“Okay, okay. We can go now Andi’s back.”</p><p>Somehow they all manage to pile into the handful of vehicles the others had brought along with them and roll up to <em>Oasis</em> just as Razzler’s opening the doors for the evening. He ushers them all in cheerfully and together their take up practically one side of the small bar space. They spend the next two hours eating, drinking and talking more. Reminiscing about the old days and chattering about the new. Find their way to the club downstairs once they’ve all had their fill.</p><p>They were some of the first to arrive at <em>Oasis </em>and they end up being some of the last to leave. Hours slipping away into music and dance. Laughter and memories, both old and new. Bit by bit the group breaks apart. All of them exchanging contact information with him and promising to keep in touch. Many of them are lurking around Edge for a few days too, so they make tentative plans to meet up again soon.</p><p>It’s a little like closure, he supposes, finishing the last of his...something-th drink of the night as he waves off Daisy and her partners. Now it’s just him, Claude and Lucia left- though he’s not entirely sure where she’s wandered off to at the moment. Honestly he’s a little surprised that Claude stuck around as long as he had. Especially after Markus had invited him back.</p><p>With a sigh Andrea leans his head against his friend’s shoulder. Something a little melancholy kicking up in his chest.</p><p>“Still no word?” Claude murmurs, slinging an arm around Andrea’s shoulders in turn.</p><p>“Am I being pathetic?” Andrea says, maybe a little too loud. The buzz in his head makes it hard to tell. “I’ve never done this before.”</p><p>“Done what? Because I <em>know</em> you’ve been this drunk before.” Claude says, a quiet, lilting tease to his light voice. Andrea contemplates sticking his tongue out at his friend but that seems like the sort of physical and mental gymnastics he’s not quite up to at the moment.</p><p>Plus it’d be childish.</p><p>So he whines at him instead, “Nooo. Not that. The being in love thing. I’ve never...Cloud’s the first. You know?”</p><p>“Yes Andi. I know.” There’s something like fond amusement in Claude’s voice. Makes Andrea pout a little. He thinks he’s being condescended to. Which is ridiculous because he’s only being truthful. Isn’t fair everybody keeps poking fun at him. Especially because Cloud’s...</p><p>Everything.</p><p>So, so much that he fills up all the horrible little voids inside Andrea’s chest. Even- no. <em>Especially</em> the biggest one that pulses in time to the blood pumping through his veins.</p><p>And people can’t seem to see that. They don’t get it. Why else would there be fuckers like that asshole from last time. Spewing their filth into the air. Worse than the goddamn reactors in Andrea mind. Because while they might not be harming the planet, they hurt Cloud and the thought still makes his blood <em>boil-</em></p><p>“He's wonderful. I adore him. He’s so pretty. And sweet. And sometimes I just...”</p><p>Andrea’s not even sure. Doesn’t know if he finishes the thought aloud or not, because he can’t even finish it in his head. It’s irritating. Like the voice in his dreams and the thought pulls a frown onto his face.</p><p>“But she keeps telling me to hurry.”</p><p>“Um...she? She who?”</p><p>Andrea blinks. He has no idea where that came from. But everything’s a little...hazy at the moment anyway. Shrugs it off internally. A slip of the tongue. Must’ve been thinking about what Cloud’d said about the planet. And people always referred to the giant hunk of rock and water and steel and green blood as ‘Her’.</p><p>“I don’t know. But I don’t <em>want</em> to hurry. I don’t want to scare him. He’s so...” Andrea’s heart twists again. Worry and sadness needling at him. “Scared. But he’s so brave. God, he’s so fucking brave you don’t understand Claude. Neither does he. Maybe it’d be okay. But...” A sigh falls from Andrea’s lips. Heavy and weary. Something burning at his eyes. “I don’t want to hurt him. I don’t. I can’t- couldn’t stand it. I already did and it was the <em>worst</em>. I’m the worst-”</p><p>“No you’re not, honey. You’re just drunk right now.”</p><p>“Oh.” Right. That made sense, he supposes. But still. That niggling, awful little wash of guilt creeps up the back of his throat. Doesn’t taste anywhere near as sweet as the alcohol had. “But I wasn’t back then.”</p><p><em>Fuck</em>. Andrea thinks, throat going a little tight. It’s been a long time since he’s thought about that night in Midgar. At least as anything more than a passing regret. Not regret for what’d happened, for spending that time with Cloud. But for what he’d done. How he’d ended it. It’d always hovered in the back of his thoughts, a painful little snag.</p><p>Right now it makes Andrea want to laugh. To cry. He’d called Cloud scared, but really Andrea knows <em>he’d</em> been afraid that night. Always afraid of too much attachment to any one person. It never lasted, after all. He’d gotten very good and very used to saying goodbye.</p><p>Everything’s so different now. Andrea can’t help but think that Cloud’s presence in his life is largely responsible for it.</p><p>
  <em>Idiot. You know he is...</em>
</p><p>Cloud has no idea. Andrea knows he doesn’t. Blames himself largely, because he can’t seem to find the right words to get Cloud to understand. To explain just how much of an effect Cloud’s had on him- how much he’s <em>always</em> affected him. God, before Cloud had walked into the Colosseum that night. Before Andrea had seen that... that <em>spark</em> in him after they’d danced, Andrea remembers what a state he’d been in.</p><p>Stagnant and stuck in a way he’s swore he’d never let himself be.</p><p>And then this surly, quiet, beautiful boy had shown up. Sudden and unexpected with the stars in his surreal eyes. Sparked something in Andrea that he still isn’t quite sure how to describe. Fascination and wonder and fear and...</p><p>God, if he could, if it would make Cloud see, Andrea would give the real ones to him in a heartbeat. If they could soften those dark, sharp edges that hover at the back of his bright eyes too often. If they could bring light to his life the way Cloud has done for Andrea...</p><p>It’s all he wants.</p><p>But...</p><p>“Claude?”</p><p>“Yes Andi?”</p><p>“I just want him to be happy.” Andrea says and his voice sounds strange in his own ears. Rough and low. “But I don’t know why he’s sad, so I can’t fix it.”</p><p>Claude’s arm tightens around his shoulder. A moment of quiet- or as much as there can be in this loud, vibrant place.</p><p>“Maybe you don’t need to.”</p><p>Andrea blinks, frowns. “What?”</p><p>“Who said you need to fix anything?” Claude repeats, something quiet in his light voice that Andrea can’t quite name.</p><p>“I...” He stumbles, frown deepening as he shakes his head. “But I do. That’s my job-”</p><p>“Is that what Cloud is? Just another job?”</p><p>“No. No, no, no. God no.” The very idea’s enough to make Andrea feel sick. Eyes wide as he shakes his head, too quick. Makes everything spark and swim in hazy colored lines. “He’s...”</p><p>The words catch in the back of his throat. Stubborn and painful and fuck, is this how Cloud feels so much of the time? It’s awful. Horrible. Makes his heart twinge in empathy. Because there’s all at once too much he wants to say, and yet no way he can possibly think to put it into words.</p><p>Because trying to describe Cloud. Trying to put a name, a title to what he is and everything he means to Andrea is...</p><p>It’s like trying to describe the whole world and everything in it in a single word.</p><p>“He’s the sky.” Andrea says and the words are little more than a fervent, desperate whisper. Strange how easy it is to call Cloud’s beautiful face to mind, when everything else around him is swimming. “Because even when I couldn’t see him, he was out there. Because I’ll never forget the first time I saw him. Never. And I-. Now that I know what it’s like I don’t think I could ever go back. To that steel prison. I’d...I think I’d wilt. Like the damn flower I promised I’d never be.”</p><p>Claude’s too sweet to laugh at him, Andrea knows that. Knows distantly that he’s rambling and not making any sense. God, there’s so much in his life now that doesn’t. He used to have a handle on everything. Who he was, his place in the world. His mind and especially his damn traitor heart. But now...</p><p>Now it’s hard, so impossibly hard, to give a shit about any of it when all he really wants is Cloud to come home. Safe. And <em>soon</em>-</p><p>“That’s stupid, isn’t it?” Andrea says with a tired laugh. A weary shake of his head that doesn’t help the room spinning around him.</p><p>“No Andi. It’s not stupid.”</p><p>“But it is. My whole life was in those walls. Everything. Everyone.” Andrea frowns a little, turning incredulously towards his old friend. “So how does one boy come along and just. Change all that?”</p><p>Claude’s smiling at him. That small, tender, sympathetic tilt that Andrea’s still not sure he gets. Sighs and pushes himself unsteadily back to his feet. Hell, maybe it’s just for the fact Andrea’s being incoherent and ridiculous. Doesn’t even know what the hell he’s saying so how can he expect anyone else to?</p><p>A hand curls around his arm and he blinks back to see Lucia. Oh, when had she come back to them? He frowns a little at her, because she has a hit of that same sympathy to her face as she looks at him. Had she heard him rambling?</p><p>“Come on boys. Let’s get out of here.”</p><p>Claude comes up on Andi’s other side and even though he’s perfectly capable of teetering out of here on his own- God, <em>why’d</em> he worn heels today? Bad idea. - Andrea lets them tow him along. Back up the steps and out into the refreshingly cool air. The subtle breeze and the chill settles something in Andrea. Tilts his head up to gaze at the myriad stars twinkling overhead.</p><p>Can Cloud see them from where he is? Andrea wonders. Or...no, wait. He’d said the old Shinra faculties were <em>under</em> Midgar, didn’t he? Deeper even than the ground level. God as if it wasn’t hard enough to breathe down there in the first place.</p><p>“Fuck.” Andrea groans, a surge of nausea wells in the back of his throat. Not sure if it’s the alcohol or the thought of Cloud being trapped somewhere like that. It’s wrong. So wrong, Cloud <em>belongs</em> out here. Under the sky and the stars. Out in his big, wide, open world that puts so much life in his beautiful, sad eyes. “<em>Fuck</em>-”</p><p>“Andi?” Claude’s hand is still warm and firm against his arm. Grounding and Andrea appreciates it. Lucia’s watching him, that curious light in her eyes.</p><p>“Come on Queenie, get it together. What’s got you so worked up tonight?”</p><p>“Luci...” There’s a quiet note of chiding to Claude’s voice and Andrea catches him shaking his head at the other. A small frown on his face. Lucia just rolls her eyes, hands on her hips.</p><p>“Fine. Fine, not while he’s drunk. But you’re not ducking outta this in the morning, Andi.”</p><p>Andrea nods, not quite sure what he’s agreeing too. Stomach still rolling over and over itself. They walk and Andrea only stumbles over himself a few times. His lovely, wonderful Bees always there to catch him with only mild, well deserved teasing. Fuck he’s lucky...</p><p>Somehow Andrea manages to loop his arms over both their shoulders. Tugging them both tight to him and resting his cheek against the top of Lucia’s head tenderly.</p><p>“I’m a lucky son of a whore.” Andrea murmurs, a sigh to his words as he eyes Claude. “How the hell’d I ever end up here?”</p><p>“Shame on you Andi! Your ma’ma was more than that.” Lucia chides, but there’s a teasing lilt to her voice. Andrea laughs and hums in agreement. They clamber into Lucia’s car and it feels like far too short a drive before they stop again. Andrea eases out of the back seat and Claude slips away from them, heading up the steps to a vaguely familiar building. Andrea squints at it a minute then it clicks. Oh. They’ve wound up in his lovely bees apartment. Guess they’re having another sleepover then. How fun-</p><p>Lucia’s laughing and Andrea realizes he might have just said all that aloud.</p><p>Whoops.</p><p>They pile into the small, three bedroom affair. Ducking into the living room and whispering not very quiet apologies to Claude’s roommates who were probably trying to sleep. They pull out the old hide-a-bed and toss a ton of pillows and blankets atop it’s creaky surface. Someone shoves a glass of water into his hand in the process. He’s pretty sure he drinks it, or at least most of it. But the unexpectedly comfortable bed is a siren call. The rumble of Lucia and Claude’s familiar voices a lullaby. Dragging him down into sleep all too quickly.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Morning comes all too soon. A blinding, painful stream of sunlight that makes Andrea grab the nearest pillow and try to smother the pounding ache. And maybe himself in the process.</p><p>“Aww. Morning sunshine.” Claude’s all too cheery voice reaches him through the fluffy, feathered cocoon Andrea’s built himself. He knows Claude’s probably trying to be gentle with him, but every little sound right now just <em>hurts</em>-</p><p>Andrea whines at Claude when the other tugs at him.</p><p>“C’mon Andi. I’ve got one of Lucia’s magic potions for you.”</p><p>Simultaneously Andrea feels relieved and horrified. Because calling the unholy anti-hangover concoction Lucia creates magic is remarkably accurate. But the cost of it is something everyone at the Inn had hotly debated.</p><p>Still, it works and Andrea knows it does so.</p><p>Bracing himself, Andrea throws the pillow aside and sticks out a hand. Claude slips a mug into it as Andrea forces himself to sit up. Keeps his eyes shut and chugs back that whole goddamn thing without giving himself time to think, pause or god-forbid<em> smell</em> it.</p><p>There’s a heart stopping moment when Andrea’s whole system debates just chucking the whole damn thing up again. And then- like magic- it settles and already he can feel the relief starting to trickle through him. A cool contrast to the sickly burn of nausea.</p><p>“Thank you.” He manages, sinking back into the pillows. Claude just plucks the empty mug from his grip and heads back into the kitchen.</p><p>“You’re welcome!” Lucia’s voice chimes and Andrea can <em>hear</em> her grinning. Wickedly, cruel, lovely girl that she is. “Now come get some breakfast or you boys are going to be late.”</p><p>Andrea sighs and levers himself up onto his feet. Padding over to the table where Claude’s already picking away at a lovely spread of eggs, toast and bacon. How the hell the delicious smell hadn’t woken Andrea up, he has no idea. He’d been out of it. And only has weird, vaguely uncomfortable memories of the night before after most of his Bees had flitted off. Still, remembering what a wonderful, unexpected surprise yesterday had been makes Andrea’s chest feel warm.</p><p>“Thank you both. Truly.” He says, absolutely sincere. Claude just smiles at him gently and shrugs. Lucia wanders over to join them.</p><p>“You’re welcome. Now spill.”</p><p>“I’m sorry?”</p><p>“Why our Queenie went all sappy and sad on us last night. You were having such a good time and then poof.”</p><p>Oh. That’s right. Andrea remembers now. That cruel little ache kicking up in his chest again when he thinks about Cloud. His long absence. He sighs, resting his head on his hand and massaging at his temple.</p><p>“Do you remember Cloud?” He asks, eyeing her as he takes a sip of the strong, dark coffee that’d been seated by his plate. Lucia frowns at him a little.</p><p>“Cloud...oh!” She lights up something bright and surprised in her eyes. “Wasn’t he the cute blond in Midgar?”</p><p>“Mmm hmm.” Andrea nods. Chuckles helplessly when realization washes over Lucia’s face.</p><p>“Oh my god, Andi!” She giggles, looking all too pleased. But then the expression falters and she frowns. The expression oddly severe on her face. “Oh that little jerk better not have broken your heart again.”</p><p>“Lucia.” Andrea sighs, arching a brow. “He did no such thing. Not then or now.”</p><p>She looks unconvinced, but shrugs. “Hmm. Fine. Then what gives?”</p><p>Andrea’s gaze drifts, out the window to his left. Running an absent finger against the rim of his coffee mug. “He’s been out on a dangerous job for a week now. Haven’t heard from him for a while.”</p><p>“Oh Andi...” The sympathies back in Lucia’s voice. A hand lighting on his arm gently. “I-I’m sure he’s fine. He was an amazing fighter back then right?”</p><p>Andrea chuckles because that’s certainly one way to describe it. “And an even better one now. I’m just being ridiculous, I know. I hope I didn’t spoil your fun last night dearest.”</p><p>“Oh hush. You did no such thing. We’re allowed to worry about you, silly.”</p><p>Andrea hums and nods. “I certainly know I can’t stop you.”</p><p>“Good.” Lucia replies, smile going soft for a moment. Then she lightly thwacks his arm. “And you are <em>such</em> a liar! Mr. ‘Nothing much has happened.’ when you went and got yourself a boyfriend! How dare?”</p><p>“Well, he’s not my boyfriend for one thing.”</p><p>“Bullshit.”</p><p>“It’s not. That’s not what we call each other.”</p><p>“Awww. I’m sorry honey, did I insult your husband?” Andrea just groans, laughing as he sinks his head into his hands. It’s still aching but nowhere near as badly as it had been when he woke. “Actually scratch that. Because if you went and got married and didn’t fucking tell us, I would do more than shave off that damn beard of yours Andrea.”</p><p>Andrea can’t do anything but chuckle to himself and shake his head. He tries to ignore the new, strange twist inside him at the thought. Huh. He’d never in all his life considered something like marriage. But even now, he slams the door on that thought, locks it and shoves it way, <em>way</em> down deep. Doesn’t suit him and even in the odd chance it ever does, it’s ridiculous to entertain such thoughts.</p><p>“Be nice Luci.” Claude says, a giggle in his quiet voice as he starts to clean up. “Andi, come on. We still need to hit your place and we’re already cutting it close.”</p><p>Lucia proves herself a saint again and gives them a lift. First to Andrea’s apartment where he manages to eek out enough time to shower himself off and throw on a fresh set of clothes. Then she drops them back at the studio and waves cheerful goodbyes. Andrea returns the wave even as they hurry inside.</p><p>He can only be glad that he’s got the one class today. Lucia’s potion had killed his headache, but still the lack of sleep definitely starts to catch up to him as their time winds down. A little belatedly he remembers he’s supposed to be meeting up with Tifa today and winces. Feels bad that he’s not going to be anywhere near his best. He fires her a text just to make sure things are still a go and grins when she responds with a yes only minutes later.</p><p>Claude’s an angel and helps fix his face before Andrea dashes away come noon. Has to swing by his apartment again to grab his bag of gym attire for after their lunch.</p><p>The cafe is blessedly quiet as usual and the staff greet him with their usual enthusiasm as he settles into his favourite table by the window. Amazingly he beats Tifa there, but not by much. A few minutes later, her familiar teal truck pulls up outside and she hurries out. Dressed in an absolutely adorable rust red shirt knotted over her stomach and a pleated black skirt with white leggings.</p><p>“I’m late! Sorry.” She says in a rush when she sees him. Tucking at her hair. “Had to get in touch with Biggs to grab the kids.”</p><p>Andrea hears all too clearly what she hadn’t said. Clearly holding out hope that Cloud would’ve been home by now to keep an eye on them. He gets to his feet and hugs her tight, shaking his head.</p><p>“Don’t be silly I only just got here myself. Are they getting up to anything?”</p><p>“Yeah. He’s taking them to the park then to Wedge’s to see the kittens.” Tifa says, settling in her seat. Andrea returns to his too.</p><p>“Sounds fun. Are they holding up alright?”</p><p>Tifa nods with a smile. “Yeah. Marlene misses Barret of course, but sounds like he’ll be mostly wrapped up out on the rigs come fall. I think he’s been looking at places for them lately too. I hope it’s in Edge, it’d be nice to have them close by. But it might not work out.”</p><p>“Fingers crossed.” Andrea replies with a murmur. Admits to himself it’d be strange not to have Marlene around and he’s only known her for a few months. Can’t imagine what it’d be like for Tifa, who he knows has practically helped raise the girl all her life. The staff bring them water and take their orders. “What about Denzel?”</p><p>“He’s...okay.” Tifa hedges a bit, a furrow marring her face for a moment. “It’s been rough, of course. But that trip out to the ranch really helped. And Cloud tried to spend as much time as he could with him before he had to go again.”</p><p>“That’s good.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Tifa takes a sip of her water and shakes her head a little. “Anyway, what about you? Said you got to see some old friends yesterday didn’t you?”</p><p>“Yes. Rather unexpectedly too. It was wonderful. We spent an absolutely unreasonable night out on the town, so if I’m not in perfect form today, do forgive me.”</p><p>Tifa laughs, smile bright, “I’m glad you had fun.”</p><p>They’re a good ways into their meal, talking occasionally but largely just enjoying the delicious food, when Tifa pipes up.</p><p>“Did you want to talk about Cloud?” She asks, rather out of the blue and Andrea blinks. Tips his head.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“He mentioned a while back that you had questions. Said it was okay if I told you some things.”</p><p>Ah. Andrea’s glad Cloud had a chance to bring it up with her. But still he shrugs.</p><p>“I do.” Andrea admits, “But they’re nothing pressing right now.”</p><p>“It’s okay you know-”</p><p>“Perhaps, but I hope you know that’s not why I asked you out today.” Andrea replies, folding his hands gently atop the table. “My interest in you, Tifa, doesn’t have anything to do with Cloud. Outside of the fact he’s why I got to meet you, of course. I think you’re sweet and charming and I’ve always wanted to get to know you better. Just for you.”</p><p>The fact that that seems to surprise her needles at something in Andrea. Something sharp and bitter both at the world and himself in turn. More than time to make amends for his hand in clearly adding to that quiet insecurity.</p><p>“It is not very often that people catch my eye or interest. But I was lucky enough to meet you both in the span of a few short days. And I’d like to change the fact I haven’t gotten a chance to know you better.”</p><p>Tifa’s expression wavers for a moment before it softens. That warm, pretty smile curling over her face.</p><p>“Thanks Andi. That’s really sweet of you.” Tifa says, all too sincere. Then she shrugs gently. “But honestly, I don’t mind. Talking about Cloud, I mean. He’s important to both of us after all, right?”</p><p>“Exceptionally.” Andrea replies evenly. Then he smiles, “I appreciate the offer, but right now, let’s focus on our afternoon. There’ll be time later.”</p><p>“Okay.” She agrees with a laugh. “Fair enough.”</p><p>They finish their meal shortly and climb into the truck to head to the gym. Andrea’s been a few times, but not near as much as he’d personally like. Things have been too hectic recently. Unfortunately it’s unlikely that’s going to change anytime soon. But still, perhaps if he has a friend to go along with in Tifa, he’ll find a way to build a schedule for it. Even if only a small one. They split off to change into the more suitable attire they both brought and meet back up in the main area.</p><p>Tifa’s very obviously a regular around here. Knows every staff member by name and a number of the others here, busy with their own routine. Doesn’t surprise him of course. Tifa’s got a natural charm to her and is so obviously good with people.</p><p>“Tifa?” Andrea asks, eyeing the way she’s carefully wrapping her hands. She blinks up at him and hums in askance. “I’ve always meant to ask, but are you a hand to hand fighter?”</p><p>“Yeah. I actually learned from a man back home. His name’s Zangan. He had his own unique style and I studied under him for years.”</p><p>“That’s incredible. I’d always had a feeling. The way that you’re built and the way you carry yourself speaks volumes. I imagine he’s incredibly proud of you.”</p><p>“I hope so.” Tifa says, pulling her hair back into a tight bun. “I’m not sure what ended up happening to him after I left to go to Midgar.”</p><p>Andrea winces a little to himself. Hoping he hasn’t stepped on an unseen landmine. God, between her and Cloud and all the quiet heartache they carry between them, he always feels like he’s dancing through a series of wires. Just waiting to trip on one.</p><p>But Tifa just smiles, stretching. The slight shadow in her gaze vanishing. “So you said you wanted a rematch?”</p><p>“Love one if you’re up for it.” Andrea replies with an equal grin. Tifa nods and they head towards the bars. It’s an odd time of day and the gym’s pretty quiet for it. Which is nice because it means they can get started right away.</p><p>It’s honestly the most fun Andrea’s had doing this kind of thing in ages. He’s always loved to stay on top of his physical fitness and dance had done a lot of that for him. But after Meteorfall and losing the familiar comfort of Jules’ place he admits he let a lot of his old routines fall to the side. And doing this sort of is always more fun with a partner he’s found. Especially one who can keep up with him so well, even if they’re only warming up now.</p><p>He notes Tifa still has slightly improper form. Expending more energy than she ought to be with each pull. He drops back to his feet and she turns her attention to him.</p><p>“Okay?” She asks, sounding slightly breathless. He nods and gestures to her.</p><p>“May I make a suggestion?”</p><p>“Of course.” Tifa replies immediately. Andrea smiles. Tifa’s an interesting soul. Proud, but not prideful. Suits what he knows of her.</p><p>“You have extremely impressive core strength and stamina. But your form's wasting a little more of that then it ought. If I may demonstrate?”</p><p>“Please.” Tifa says, dropping down and turning to watch. Keen eyed and focused as Andrea hops back up to grab his set.</p><p>“So, what I’ve seen you do is this.” Andrea can hear Jules all but yelling at him in the back of his head as he breaks his usual form and showcases Tifa's. “And it’s perfectly serviceable of course. But I think you’ll find you can maintain yourself for longer by adjusting just so.”</p><p>He does another set after settling back into stance and pulling himself up easier again before dropping. Tifa nodding along, eyes wide.</p><p>“I think I get it.” She says, then smiles, a curious tilt to his head. “Who taught you that?”</p><p>“My brother. He was always very insistent that things be done the proper way to make sure people weren’t straining themselves.”</p><p>“You have a brother?”</p><p>“Mm. Jules.”</p><p>“Oh my god, no way! How did I not see that?”</p><p>Andrea laughs, shaking his head. “To be fair, I’d say lack of exposure. And we’re also only half brothers. Shared mother.”</p><p>“Still.” Tifa says, wiping the sweat from her brow. “I used to always want siblings when I was a girl. They seemed fun.”</p><p>“They can be simultaneously the most wonderful and terrible people in your life.” Andrea replies. “Though I think I’d say I was often the terrible one of the two of us.”</p><p>Tifa giggles and stifles it quickly. Poorly too. A move he’s seen Marlene mimic too. Makes Andrea smile, bracing a hand on his hip.</p><p>“Want to give it a try?”</p><p>Tifa takes to the new form quickly. Just a few pull ups work of adjusting and shifting before she nails it down like she’s always done it.</p><p>“Oh, you’re right. That is so much easier, wow. Thanks!” Tifa says as she stops, beaming wide and bright at him. Andrea returns it with a bow.</p><p>“Only happy to help.” Andrea replies, arching a brow. “Feel up to a real match now?”</p><p>“Absolutely.” She returns his grin with just as much enthusiastic fire.</p><p>They set themselves a series of timers and Andrea hijacks one of the speaker sets to play some of his favorite tunes to work up a sweat to. They decide on out of nine full rounds and one of the trainers comes over to spot them and keep track at Tifa’s request.</p><p>It ends up being incredibly close. Tifa just eeking out the last round with an impressive burst of stamina. Andrea settles back against the thick floor mats, panting, sweaty and generally feeling absolutely <em>amazing</em>.</p><p>“Well done.” He pants when Tifa settles across from him. She looks flushed and in no better state than him. Something a little incredulous to the laugh she makes.</p><p>“I can’t believe I managed that. Oh my god-”</p><p>“I can. You’re truly at the peak of physical perfection my dear.” Andrea says, smiling to himself when Tifa gets a little flustered from the compliment. They sip at water and slowly stretch their sore and tired limbs. Eventually prying themselves from the floor when they catch their second wind.</p><p>“How’re you holding up?” Tifa asks, offering a hand to pull Andrea back to his feet. Andrea takes it, grinning when she has no trouble levering him up. Still, he can feel the previous night starting to creep up on him. Chuckles a little wearily.</p><p>“I think I’m about at my limit for today unfortunately. My apologies.”</p><p>Tifa quickly shakes her head, raising her hands, “Oh no, not at all. Why don’t we swing back to the bar then?”</p><p>“Sounds lovely. But I would love to do this again sometime. Perhaps you’d be so kind as to give me a few pointers? It’s been a long time since I got to practise hand to hand and I would love to get back into it.”</p><p>“Sure thing. This was a lot of fun.” Tifa says, hurrying off the change rooms.</p><p>They wind up at Seventh Heaven a little after four. Settling into the wonderfully cool interior with drinks and finger foods Tifa’s quick to whip up for them. Andrea stays away from anything with alcohol content, he’s well partied out for the next good while.</p><p>As they settle in Andrea remembers.</p><p>“Oh my god. Tifa, I found something the other day when Claude and I were out.”</p><p>He hurries over to his bag and digs through it, praying he’d remembered to toss it in here the other day. Mentally pats himself on the back when he finds it, still so carefully wrapped by the shop keeps hand. He sets it on the table and slides it towards Tifa as he takes his seat again.</p><p>She plucks it up and carefully undoes the twine holding the brown parchment shut. Folds it open carefully and the way her whole expression both brightens and cracks makes Andrea ache. She lifts a hand to her mouth.</p><p>“Oh my god. Oh my god, Andrea where did you-?”</p><p>“There’s an antique store downtown. One of the owners told me it’d been with them for years.” Andrea says gently, “When I found out it was from Nibelheim I just had to bring it home. And well, I figured what better home could it have than in your hands?”</p><p>“Thank you.” Tifa says, a little steadier now. Reaching down to pick up the stone, turning it this way and that. “Wow. I can’t believe it’s in such good shape. I guess I shouldn’t be. Brook always did the best work.”</p><p>“You know who made it?”</p><p>Tifa nods, something fond if painful on her face. “Yeah. They were the village smith. Usually helped fix up houses and stuff. But on the side sometimes he’d do things like this. During festivals he’d gather all us kids up and tell stories. I’m not sure if they were just local legends or what. But it was always really fun.”</p><p>“Sounds like it. Can’t say I have any point of reference of course. Would you tell me a little?”</p><p>Sweetly, she indulges his curiosity. Tifa tells him of her life. Raised by her father, mother lost before she was three. A distant, still aching wound so clear in her lovely eyes still. Andrea trades his own story in equal measure.</p><p>Inevitably though their conversation turns to Cloud.</p><p>“When we were kids, I made him make me this stupid promise.” Tifa admits, smiling wry and a little painfully. Stroking the trunk of the stone tree gently. Gaze a little far off, lost in memory. “He was leaving to head to Midgar. Join up with Shinra, become a SOLDIER. All that. So I told him that when he made SOLIDER and became a hero that I...” Tifa folds her hands together, twisting her fingers. The furrow of her brow deepened. “I wanted him to save me. Just once.”</p><p>Andrea blinks gently, setting down the tall glass of ice water he’s been nursing. Something in him softening a little as he smiles.</p><p>“That’s possibly the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”</p><p>Tifa laughs quietly, shaking her head a little and tucking at her dark hair.</p><p>“I didn’t even really know him back then honestly. He was just the weird, quiet boy who lived next door. He didn’t hang out around me or my friends. We never really talked all that much. I just thought he was kind of cute.” Her smile takes a bit of a sheepish turn, ruby gaze flitting up to Andrea’s. He returns it with an amicable smile and a nod. Knows they<em> both</em> agree with the other on the subject of Cloud’s appearance. Then she shrugs. “It’s ridiculous I know. Just some silly fantasy I’d had.”</p><p>“Nothing silly about having dreams, Tifa.” Andrea assures her. Tifa hums, but then her expression falls slightly. Some old shadow darkening her face.</p><p>“Cloud took it seriously. Way more than I ever did. And now he’s kept that promise so many times I’ve lost count.” She leans her head against one hand, eyes drifting away to the window. “But it’s Cloud so, of course he doesn’t see it that way. Think he just kinda took it as a blanket statement, you know?”</p><p>Andrea nods absently, “He does like to take things to their extreme I’ve noticed.”</p><p>“I just don’t want him to feel. Obligated towards me. I know there’s part of me that’s always going to see him as <em>my</em> hero. But...”</p><p>She sighs and there’s a weight to the sound that hurts. She straightens up, hands again curling together.</p><p>“Did he tell you why we split up?”</p><p>“Not the details no. Just that it happened after he’d had Geostigma.” Andrea answers truthfully. Tifa nods.</p><p>“We both messed up, no matter what else he’s said.”</p><p>Andrea hums, nodding. Smile twisting into something a little wry. Cloud does have a nasty habit of pinning blame squarely on his shoulders. Doesn’t surprise him that it’d be the case here too. Tifa nods, a knowing furrow to her brow.</p><p>“I knew something was wrong. He started acting distant again. Hazy. He’d leave early and wouldn’t come home till late, if at all. And then one day he just. Vanished.” She shrugs, the motion helpless as she rolls the glass between her fingers. “I wasn’t even really angry at him for it until I knew why. It’d always been in the back of my mind. That he might leave. I mean it was a lot. Trying to build a life again. Taking care of the kids, especially since Denzel was sick.”</p><p>Andrea can only imagine. Everything, even the simple things, had been a struggle for quite a long time after the destruction of Meteorfall. And the sickness had just added more strain. Devastation atop destruction.</p><p>“When I finally found out Cloud had Geostigma too, <em>that’s</em> when I got angry. Because I knew he was just giving up. So I told him to make a choice. He couldn’t have it both ways, so he had to pick. Us or everything he’d been carrying around.” Tifa sighs, shoulders hunching forward, a pained expression on her face. “It’s one of the only things I regret saying to him.”</p><p>Andrea reaches out, rests a hand over hers gently. Squeezes and smiles a little when her eyes flicker to his again. “I might not know much, granted. But I do know that Cloud thinks the world of you.”</p><p>“I know...”</p><p>Andrea bites at his lower lip. Knows that all of this is a genuine ache still all too present in both her and Cloud’s hearts. Even though he also knows they’ve found some level of genuine peace with each other too. Still finds curiosity bubbling in him.</p><p>“You said him being sick was only part of it though?”</p><p>“Yeah...” Tifa sighs, a newer, but still painful weariness to the sound. “His Geostigma was just the last straw. It only felt so sudden because I didn’t find out the rest. Not until it was over.”</p><p>“Can I ask what happened...?” Andrea gently lets her go and sits back again. Not wanting to seem overbearing.</p><p>“What I didn’t know was that Elmyra’d contacted him. She’s Aerith’s mother. Asked him to run flowers out to her grave.”</p><p>Something in Andrea’s gut freezes. A sharp blade of ice that stabs at him in quiet horror. Oh god-</p><p>“I don’t think any of us really had time to...” Tifa fumbles, falters. Takes a careful breath. “To process it, you know? Losing Aerith, I mean. So when Elmyra brought it up again it. It opened up some really deep wounds. Everything he’d been carrying around welled up, stronger than ever. Cloud was doing fine for months. Great, actually. He’d been living a life. Tryin’ to move on. But that one call just...”</p><p>Whether it’s that she can’t find the word to describe it, or doesn’t want to, Andrea can’t blame her. Doesn’t need her to. It’s far, <em>far</em> too easy to see Cloud shattering under the weight of such a thing. He doesn’t know what happened to Aerith and isn’t going to press for details of course. But every time she's brought up Andrea’s seen that black hole void of guilt yawning behind his eyes. And that’s even after Cloud apparently found some measure of relief from it.</p><p>“He didn’t know how to handle it. I guess he didn’t feel like he should get to be...”</p><p>“Happy?” Andrea finishes for her when she trails off.</p><p>“...Yeah.” The twist of Tifa’s expression is a painful one. Leaning a little further back in her seat she drops her hands into her lap. “It’s not like I don’t get it, either. Sometimes I used to wonder if...”</p><p>Tifa trails off again. Something distant in her eyes as she looks away. Back out the window. Looking, but not seeing as she continues. Voice soft. Not hesitant necessarily, but something dark bleeds through it still.</p><p>“If he’d have been happier- better off- if she’d lived.”</p><p>Tifa doesn’t say “<em>Instead of me</em>.”. At least, not aloud. But Andrea hears it, loud and clear in the hurt silence that tails the end of her voice. Something quiet and painful. An old wound that’s leaking poison still. It’s a particular kind of agony. One he’s seen in Cloud, too. Especially when they talk about their lost flower girl.</p><p>Andrea didn’t know Aerith. Knows of her a little more now. Though still only vaguely and vicariously through the lives she’s touched that he’s been privileged to know. But the stars alone could guess at how life would be if some souls hadn’t been snatched from the world.</p><p>What Andrea <em>does</em> know is how Cloud talks about Tifa. The way Cloud lights up around her. The looks he gives only to her. The way only she can reach him when he’s lost in the depths of his mind- his memory.</p><p>So no. He doesn’t believe for a goddamn minute that Cloud would be ‘better off’ without this bright young woman in his life.</p><p>In fact he fears quite the opposite.</p><p>“I didn’t know Aerith and I certainly won’t pretend to understand what you’ve all gone through.” Andrea straightens up, meeting Tifa’s gaze seriously when she blinks back at him. “I can only speak of what I have seen. What I know. And that’s the fact that you, Tifa, bring a hell of a lot of light to this sad world of ours. I’ve seen it in the smiles you put on the faces around you. In the way you’re always looking out for others- even me. And as I said, that takes a very special kind of strength. A very special kind of heart.”</p><p>It’s funny. How even just given this afternoon to spend with her, how easily it’s become for Andrea to see so much of what lies behind Tifa’s warm, genuine heart. All these carefully guarded little pains.</p><p>Her and Cloud really are alike. In so many ways.</p><p>“So don’t sell yourself short like that. Isn’t that what you told me? We’re always our own worst critics after all.”</p><p>Tifa’s expression shifts, eyes going wide. A painful kind of surprise twisting through the back of her gaze before it drops.</p><p>“You’re right.” She says, voice quietly ashamed. “I’m sorry Andi. I didn’t mean-”</p><p>“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, Tifa.”Andrea replies, shaking his head and raising a hand. “I only hope you know that you mean a great deal to a lot of people And I’m very sorry if you’ve ever been led to think that wasn’t the case.”</p><p>Andrea thinks he understands it a little better now. The reason why these two souls, who seem to so perfectly line up in so many places, fell apart. Because the pain and trauma they’d shared was too much the same. And yes, at times such things bring people together. But he can see now that their ways of handling and processing their grief were too different. Tifa’s worn the sharp edges of her own down. Rounding out the painful sharpness into something a touch softer. Gentler. But Cloud hasn’t managed to. At least, not in the same ways. Andrea’s seen it all too clearly in his eyes when Cloud manages to talk about Aerith at all. No, his guilt seems...</p><p>Different.</p><p>More <em>personal</em> somehow.</p><p>The thought churns something uneasy in Andrea. Something sharp and worried and painful. Tucks it away carefully. Time enough for sorting all that out later. Perhaps once Cloud finds it in him to open up a little more.</p><p>For now he turns back to Tifa, pulls on a tender, careful smile. “I know I don’t have much room to talk. But I can say with certainty that I, for one, would certainly find my world a darker place were I not fortunate enough to know you. Our world’s dark enough these days without treasuring the pieces of light we’re lucky enough to find.”</p><p>“Andrea...” Tifa’s voice cracks slightly, her red, red eyes wet and wide and startled. Andrea quickly passes her one of the nearby napkins with a tender smile. She takes it with a watery half smile of her own. “Thanks.”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>Tifa pulls herself back together with an authority and quickness Andrea knows very well. A real mark of anyone who lived in the Undercity for any amount of time. No time or energy to waste on tears. Harsh, but regrettably as much a survival tactic as learning to defend yourself. Andrea sits back, giving her time and space to do so still. Notices she’s watching him with something considering in her eyes. But then she nods, almost to herself and smiles.</p><p>“Mm. I think I get it now.”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea hums, frowning a little in confusion. But Tifa just shakes her head, getting to her feet.</p><p>“Nothing. Can I get you more water?”</p><p>Andrea leaves Seventh Heaven just a little before Tifa’s ready to open their doors. He’d happily puttered about helping her with prep and clean up. She told him he was welcome to stick around, but he’s gently declined. After yesterday he feels like he hasn’t been home in an age. And right now, he needs some time to himself. So they part with a hug and a promise to make today much more than a one off.</p><p>Andrea dumps his bag just inside the entrance. Contemplated sticking around, but there’s a strange buzz of energy hovering around him right now. Knows he won’t be able to settle or focus until it’s gone. So he decides on a walk. Fresh air usually helps.</p><p>He lets his feet lead him, wandering through the streets. The sun’s sitting low in the sky, bathing everything in that orangish, purple hue. It’s beautiful as ever and Andrea finds himself at the city’s edge. Remembers coming out this way with Cloud that one night. Hovers at the edge of the slope and can almost hear the other’s voice in his ear. Telling him to be careful.</p><p>Andrea sighs at himself, chuckling under his breath at the ridiculous, wistful melancholy that’s been haunting him for what feels like an age now. Funny how just a few days of not seeing Cloud has grown such a powerful, poignant ache in him. Somehow worse than the one that’d lingered in the back of his heart for years before now.</p><p>He pulls his gaze from the horizon. Drawn towards the dead city almost by instinct. Longing and worry and good memories all wrapped up into one. Twisting over and over themselves. It’s all so-</p><p>A gasp breaks from his lips. Eyes flying wide as a spike of icy hot horror lances itself straight through his spine.</p><p>There’s smoke rising from Midgar.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>...now now, put down the pitchforks please.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Someone's Bound To Get Burned</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So Andi's a not insignificantly stressed out baby for....a fair portion of this chapter. Just a heads up.</p><p>Other than that mostly just the usual. Passed another month's anniversary a few days ago- and it's still WILD to me every time holy...</p><p>And our beta Avasti is incredible. :) &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The smoke is dark. A thick, towering plume of it rising high, high into the sky above the northwest part of the city. Sector One- possibly Two. That’s what Cloud had said, wasn’t it? They were all that was left.</p><p>Andrea’s phone is in his hand before he even realizes he’s reached for it. Hand hovering over the button he’s mapped Cloud’s number to before he freezes. Everything in him is taut. Tense and it’s making him shake. Can feel his heart beat pounding in his ears.</p><p>“Fuck.” He breathes, squeezing the phone tight before he lowers it. Knows there’s no point in calling. Cloud doesn’t answer his phone on the best of days let alone-</p><p>His gut seizes. Gaze jumping back to the vile smoke. Andrea just knows that’s where Cloud is. Can’t even fool himself into thinking it’s just another accident. Another piece of the city crumbling down on itself. It’s happened in the past after all. But Andrea knows better. Can feel it. Something deep inside him.</p><p>So what the hell has Cloud gotten himself into? All the little snippets of what Cloud told him rushing through his mind. Experiments and monsters and bodies. Horror atop horror and he’s throwing himself into it again and again. Pushing himself further in, further down and Andrea can’t understand it. Remembers the shadows that <em>cling</em> to the back of Cloud’s bright eyes. Worse when he comes back. What if he goes too far-</p><p>Andrea closes his eyes tightly. Makes himself breathe again. He’s jumping to conclusions. To the worst case. Worry compounding atop worry. Pushes back against it, the shadow and the thorns that twist around and around his insides. Presses it back and back, never mind the sick, iron taste that gathers phantom on his tongue.</p><p><em>Calm down. Calm down.</em> The mantra repeats inside Andrea’s head. Loops over and over itself till it becomes a mindless, droning hum. Loosens something inside him enough that he no longer feels the blood rushing in his head and his chest doesn’t feel quite so tight as he opens his eyes again.</p><p>The smoke’s still there of course. A nightmare brought to horrific light.</p><p>But Andrea knows there’s nothing he can do about it. Even if Cloud’s deigned to let him into his world a little more. Even if he knows things now about where he is and what he’s doing that even those Cloud calls family may not be privy to. Even so, Andrea’s no fighter. Doesn’t have the talent or skill to go charging headfirst into danger. Some gallant knight on their steed like all those silly tales he’s read.</p><p>Instead, he must resign himself to the sidelines. To sitting and worrying and <em>waiting</em>- just as Tifa’s always advised him to do.</p><p>And god does he <em>hate</em> it.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t do well with inactivity. Never has. Always this drive- a need, really- to keep moving. To never still. To never stop. It is both his strength and his weakness.</p><p>But he pushes it back. Makes himself take a step away from the sloping edge that leads out towards Midgar. Breathes deep and lets it out slow. He trusts Cloud. Trusts in his abilities as a fighter and survivor both. He’s survived whatever horrors lie in his past after all. The ones that left scars and the ones that didn’t- at least not visibly. He’ll be okay. Andrea believes that.</p><p>He has to.</p><p>Even still, he lifts his phone again, scrolling through his messages- god, has it really been so long since he reached out? Taps Cloud’s name when he finds it.</p><p>
  <em>Please let me know you’re alright.</em>
</p><p>Hovers in a moment of horribly indecision before he hits the send button with more force than necessary and tucks his phone away before he can do more. But Andrea can’t bring himself to leave. To walk away. Not yet. Stands there, body tense. Torn between racing forward or away. Doesn’t know if he’s ever felt more alone in all his life.</p><p>The knowledge that there’s nothing he can do sits heavy on Andrea’s shoulders. Pressure worse than gravity dragging at his limbs, his heart. Aches and stings in equal, painful measure. Again Andrea pushes it back. Tamps it down to a smoulder deep inside him.</p><p>“Be safe.” He murmurs, pouring every ounce of quiet sincerity he can out into the evening air. The sun’s dipped so low now the sky’s growing dark above him. Purple bleeds into that deep, velvet darkness. Makes the smoke harder to see at least. Andrea finally feels able to unlock his limbs. Finally able to take a step back. Then another and another. Turning away from Midgar feels a little like there’s weights lashed to his ankles. Like wading through molasses. But he still makes himself walk away. Back into the safety of Edge’s haphazard streets. Back to his apartment and through the door. Back home, though it hasn’t felt less like one in a long time. Hovers at the end of the entrance hall, gazing into the living room.</p><p>His eyes catch on his rose. A glossy sheen to it’s petals from the wax. Andrea picks it up, without thought or any real reason. Cradles it gently with one hand and raises it to his nose. Breathes it in though the scent has long since faded away.</p><p>Sentimental and stupid and Andrea needs to find something to do before he does something even more foolish.</p><p>He returns the rose delicately to it’s vase. Trailing one finger down the curve of it before pulling away. Ducks away into his room where he pulls out the manila envelope and the notebook he’s been using to plan the recital. Takes it all to the kitchen to grab himself something to eat and some tea. Settles in at the table and curls over his work.</p><p>Unsurprisingly his Bees had all had some great ideas. Themes and choreography and music alike. And he’s still got another week before Narisa’s deadline and he’ll hopefully have Laurem’s answer soon about the team. Now it’s just ironing out the other details really. He’s had a chance now to sit in on a number of the other classes too. Time enough to observe the relative strengths and weaknesses of each. Enough that he feels confident in starting to build up a baseline for them. He intends to leave the finer details to each instructor.</p><p>He digs out his phone, firing messages to both Claude and Lucia. Bounces ideas off of them both and tossing out a few of his own. They’ve largely settled on a more ‘traditional’ autumn theme. But with some of their usual twists. But the novelty of being able to celebrate all the natural beauty of the changing seasons. Something that’s honestly still a marvel to witness even now.</p><p>It works as a distraction for a while. But as time drags on and things get later, Andrea finds his thoughts threatening to drift again. Both Claude and Lucia had turned in a while ago after all. Now he’s just waiting – hoping, <em>praying</em>- for word from Cloud. Trying to ignore the sickly, worried knot that’s still tight in his gut. Catches himself playing idly with his phone for the dozenth time in less than a handful of minutes and shoves it away. Sends it skittering across the table and nearly over the edge. Groans and braces the heels of his hands against his forehead, pressing tight.</p><p>“Get it together, Andi. You’re better than this.” He growls under his breath. Thumps his head a few times against his hands, but it doesn’t do much besides make the growing ache throb. The words on his papers blur. Tired, but mind racing.</p><p>So he does what he has always done. When the world’s too much. Spiralling too far and fast out of his control.</p><p>Andrea dances.</p><p>Creates a makeshift stage for himself by shoving his living room around. Crowding the furniture up against the walls and out of his way. Sets the miniature music player he still hasn’t returned up on the table beside his rose and throws on the first disc he can find. He doesn’t care, just wants to lose himself in it. And he can do that with anything. Anything at all that’s not the quiet. Not the silence that threatens to drown him.</p><p>It’s normally the easiest thing on the Planet, to lose himself in the swaying, pounding, familiar rhythms. His very muscles filled near to bursting with so much memory from the literal years of his life he’s spent dancing. So much choreography kept locked up in his head sometimes his Bee’s used to tease him about not having room for anything else.</p><p>Tonight it’s a struggle. Tonight every little thing seems determined to rip his focus away from the music, the dance and drag it back to the shadowy corners of worry. Every sound, every sight, every moment Andrea has to fight himself for his usually impeccable focus. He growls to himself, a chilling sort of distant angry welling in him.</p><p>
  <em>Do better. Be better. Be more-!</em>
</p><p>He was already tired. From his week of hectic, maddening work. From his late night and early morning. Not to mention his fun with Tifa earlier. Or the worries that have only built and grown, bigger and bigger as the days drifted on without Cloud. Without seeing him, hearing from him. Without knowing-</p><p>But Andrea doesn’t care. Doesn’t let himself stop. Fights against his thoughts. Pushes himself on and on. From one foot, one step, one song to the next. Until it’s all he can focus on so he doesn’t hit the floor when his limbs start to shake. Until his lungs and body ache in the much more familiar. Much more manageable way. Until he feels the way he’s<em> supposed</em> to. Like himself- even if only a moment in the grand scheme of things.</p><p>It’s been far too long.</p><p>His knees hit the floor. A jarring, bone ratting ache as Andrea gasps for breath. Lets himself collapse sideways and roll onto his back. Limbs sprawled akimbo across the blessedly cool floor. Body throbbing and overheated. Sweat cooling chill against his skin.</p><p>But his mind is quiet finally. No room left in him for worry when he’s all but trying not to black out.</p><p>The sky is dark outside now. Laden with the beautiful, twinkling stars he’s sure. Though the streetlights always obscure it too much for his liking. Had he any energy at all, he’d go to the roof. To watch them properly. But right now the thought of moving at all makes every inch of him feel like it’s been encased in lead.</p><p>Andrea knows he needs to get up. Knows he ought to stumble down into the shower. Wash the sweat and daily filth from his skin. Climb into bed and be ready to roll out of it again come the morning. He has classes to teach. A production to finish planning. A Don to find. There’s so much he ought to be doing right now.</p><p>But he just...</p><p>Can’t.</p><p>Not yet, anyway.</p><p>He pries open his heavy eyes. Head rolling back as he peers over at the table. The music’s gone quiet. The tracks having played all the way through. He’s been at it at least an hour then, probably more. His sense of time today’s all twisted around. Blames the exhaustion and the stress in turn.</p><p>Again his eyes track to his rose. The petals glinting in the silvery moonlight spilling in through the window now. It’s pretty- hell, <em>beautiful</em>. Still novel in a way to see it, even after all these weeks. Still so hard to fathom the fact that it’s...<em>his</em>.</p><p>Something a little wry twists Andrea’s expression. Tilts his head and eyes the dark petals.</p><p>“Don’t suppose you’d know if he’s safe, would you?” Andrea murmurs. Sighs and laughs at himself, throwing a hand over his eyes. And even that much makes him shake. Muscles trembling. Jaw clenching tight. Something burning at the back of his gaze. Fuck, he’s losing it. Really, really losing it. Talking to a goddamn dead flower.</p><p>Andrea’s not sure how long it takes him to get himself back in hand. How long it takes his heart to stop pounding, breath to stop burning his lungs. Too long. That’s all he knows for sure. Eventually he pries himself up. Rolling back onto shaky limbs and pushing to his feet. Stumbles when every muscle in his body screams in protest. Catches himself on the table's edge and the motion nearly knocks the vase over. Heart in his throat Andrea grabs it. Carefully settling it back upright with a delicate tinkling of glass.</p><p>“Sorry...” He breathes something knotted at the back of his throat. Tight and burning and painfully hard to swallow around. Apologizing because he may as well if he’s already so far off the deep end. Because, well, if the Planet’s alive, why not the fucking flowers too?</p><p>Andrea can’t help it. Chokes on a too wet laugh as he traces a finger against the waxy petals. Shoulders hunching, eyes squeezing shut. Stupid. Stupid, stupid, <em>stupid</em>. This isn’t him. He doesn’t do...<em>this</em>. This pathetic moping nonsense. It’s far from the first situation he’s been in that he’s been helpless to do anything.</p><p>He pushes back the little voice in him that wants to say, <em>But this is different. It’s different because it’s Him-</em></p><p>There’s an odd buzzing sound in the air. Something humming. Familiar...</p><p>Andrea’s eyes snap open as he turns, already moving towards it. Barely reaches his phone as the last ring echoes through the air. Jabs the answer button harshly with his thumb as he cradles it against his ear. Heart in his throat yet again because he’d caught sight of the ID before he did.</p><p>“Cloud?” He says, wincing when he realizes how rough his voice sounds. There’s a faint crackle of sound on the other end of the line. A heartbeat, maybe two then-</p><p>“<em>Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.</em>”</p><p>It’s as though someone has undone a pressure valve somewhere deep in Andrea’s soul. All the horrible heartache and tension that’s been plaguing him these past impossibly long hours rushing out in a sigh of relief so heavy it sends him sinking into the nearest chair.</p><p>“No. No, no. Don’t be silly. I was up working.”</p><p>“...<em>It’s like one am. Don’t you have work tomorrow?</em>”</p><p>Something like a smile twitches onto Andrea’s face. A weary, but warm laugh tripping out of him. Incredulous as he shakes his head helplessly. Trust Cloud to be thinking about that of all things when Andrea’s been worried sick over his well being.</p><p>“I do. Are you alright?”</p><p>“<em>Huh?</em>”</p><p>The almost smile takes a twist, curling into something a touch more genuine. Of course. Still, there’s a bit of a tear inside him as he explains.</p><p>“I saw smoke over Midgar earlier when I was out.”</p><p>“<em>Oh</em>.” Cloud doesn’t sound surprised by that necessarily. But there’s something weary underscoring his voice when he continues after a moment. “<em>I-</em>.<em> Yeah. Just kinda a tough scrape.</em>”</p><p>The twist inside Andrea tightens, sudden and sharp. A furrow maring his brow. If <em>Cloud’s</em> calling something tough, Andrea can’t begin to imagine what he’d faced. Honestly the thought makes him almost more uneasy than the sight of the smoke had earlier. Before he can however, there’s a shuffle on Cloud side. A sigh.</p><p>“<em>Anyway. Uh. Didn’t mean to call. Was just tryin’ to answer your text and-</em>”</p><p>“I’m glad you did. And you didn’t answer my question, you know.” Andrea squeezes his phone a little tighter. Worry and fondness vying for control of his heart. “Are you hurt?”</p><p>Cloud huffs and it’s all too easy to picture him rolling those lovely eyes.</p><p>“<em>That wasn’t your question</em>.”</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea can’t help the slightly sharp note of his voice. Worry eking out ahead of the warmth. Doesn’t like how the other’s trying to dodge the question. The silence on Cloud’s end lingers too long. Pulls everything inside Andrea tighter and tighter. Threatening to snap-</p><p>“’<em>S nothing that won’t heal</em>.”</p><p>Andrea squeezes his eyes shut. Lets out a careful breath. Rubs at the bridge of his nose to stave off the pressure that wants to spike into something sharper.</p><p>“Why do I get the feeling that’s an extremely low bar for you to set?” Despite the concern flickering in his chest, something warm curls around at the breathy sound Cloud makes. Not quite a laugh, perhaps. But something close to it. Drags an echoing smile onto his face, forehead bracing against his hand. There’s an ache building behind his eyes. Lack of sleep and too much else piled atop it. “Would I be right in guessing, since you found time to call, that you’re almost done...?”</p><p>“<em>Mm. Be back Saturday hopefully.</em>”</p><p>Still a whole day away. Well. Perhaps not now, given the late hour. But still. Andrea can’t help fretting. Especially knowing that Cloud’s out there. And injured to boot. Andrea’s certain he’s downplaying it, that’s what Cloud does after all. But he supposes it can’t be <em>that</em> serious, given how calm Cloud sounds. The fact that he’d found it in himself to call at all, even if it was an accident.</p><p>The both go quiet for a time, Andrea tracing absently along the tabletop with a finger. Mind wandering. It’s late, they should both be asleep, but Andrea doesn’t know if he’s quite ready to let the other go again. Wants to keep him close as long as possible. Even if it’s just like this. Wonders if...if maybe Cloud would indulge him and stay on the line...</p><p>“Cloud...?”</p><p>“<em>Yeah?</em>”</p><p>The words stopper themselves in Andrea’s throat. What the hell is he thinking? No, no he won’t bother Cloud with something so...childish. It’s all to clear, even just from his voice, that Cloud needs the rest as badly as Andrea does. So Andrea tucks the urge away and pulls on as much of a smile as he can. Brightening his voice as he hums. “Sleep well sweetheart. I can’t wait till you’re back.”</p><p>“...<em>Okay. G’night Andrea</em>.”</p><p>It’s strange. There’s moment that hovers suspended in the air. Longer than usual, a silence that clings like cobwebs to Andrea’s mind before he finally hears that familiar click and dial tone. Almost like Cloud had wanted to say something else. Or was waiting for <em>him</em> to say something.</p><p>Andrea shakes his head. Sighing as he hangs up too. Fuck. Lucia was right. He really is verging on manic these days. Reading too much into everything. He needs to stop. Not only for his sake, but everyone else’s too. Pushes up to his feet again and the world swims. A hazy smear of color before he manages to clear his vision.</p><p>Definitely well past time for bed.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Friday is blessedly, mercifully a whole lot of absolutely nothing. Andrea barely has the coherence to stumble through his three classes. Claude’s less than impressed with the state of him, threatening to call Lucia in for a ‘real-actual-intervention’ if he doesn’t go home right after work and <em>rest</em>. Andrea’s honestly all too happy to comply. He knows he’d slept- passed out almost before his head hit the pillow. But it sure as he didn’t feel like he’d gotten any real sleep.</p><p>So Andrea drags his sorry ass home as soon as he can. Waving off Claude’s offer to come along. He doesn’t need a minder, thank you very much. He’s perfectly capable of collapsing into bed all on his own.</p><p>Stepping inside Andrea leans back against the door to close it and lingers there a moment. Head tilted back as he gazes sightless at the ceiling. Talking to Cloud last night had certainly helped loosen the knot that’s been sitting in his chest since the other left. But it’s still there. Andrea’s certain it’s not going to go away until he can actually see Cloud again. Look at him, hold him, prove to himself that Cloud’s alright. Well, Andrea thinks with a frown, as alright as he can be. He’d said he was hurt after all. And honestly, Andrea’s not sure how much he believes Cloud’s word that it wasn’t that bad. He’s seen what the other is capable of surviving after all.</p><p>The dancer sighs at himself, thunking his head sharply against the door. Enough of this...this <em>wallowing</em> nonsense. Cloud’ll be home tomorrow. Knowing that’ll just have to be enough to get him through the rest of today. That, and a long, <em>long</em> nap.</p><p>Andrea eats and sheds his work clothes. Scrubs his face clean and rolls into bed. Cocooning himself in the duvet and wishing desperately it was Cloud’s arms instead.</p><p>“Soon...” Andrea murmurs tiredly to himself, burying half his face into the pillow and squeezing his eyes shut. <em>Soon...</em></p><p>Of course it would be too much to ask for the dream to leave him alone when he’s exhausted.</p><p>He knows he’s fallen into even before he opens his eyes. The darkness here has a particular...feeling to it. One he’s grown more and more accustomed to as the nights go on. Tonight the Mako green is still distant. The voice is less so.</p><p>
  <em>Careful...</em>
</p><p>A faraway wash of acid on the vague horizon. Instead it’s the red that hovers close. Red like blood, like fire, like the petals of his rose. Beautiful and unnerving alongside that awful whisperwind scream.</p><p>
  <em>Don’t get- close..</em>
</p><p>Rising and rising, cloying without scent. A crushing tide of rising darkness that presses in on all sides. Pushing and pushing like an ache in his very bones. Pressing and pressing and it feels like someone’s standing behind him-</p><p>
  <em>...to him-</em>
</p><p>Something brushes against his wrist and Andrea jerks. Surprised when his body is allowed the motion. The most he’s ever been able to move. But the sensation grows. Gets tighter. Shapes itself into something like a hand. Pulls. Sharp and sudden. Andrea stumbles. Something like a gasp tearing out of his chest.</p><p>The void ahead of him ruptures. Splits. Blinding white light spilling out and his eyes slam shut against the sudden, painful brillance. The wind carrying a scent that Andrea feels he knows. But like the voice he can’t place it. Something rustles beneath his feet and his eyes snap open. Looks up to meet a pair of green, <em>green</em> eyes-</p><p>He has no idea what happens after that. The next thing he knows he’s waking up. Tucked safe in bed, still wrapped in the now too warm blanket. Shockingly Andrea actually feels rested. Impossibly so given the state of himself yesterday. Like someone’s siphoned all the exhaustion from his body. Leaving behind nothing but a long absent, but comforting relaxation.</p><p>Oh god. Has he slept in? The thought’s enough to spur him into reaching for his phone. Fumbling for it on the side table before he manages to turn on the screen. The time stares back at him.</p><p><em>8:00</em>am.</p><p>Oh. A bit later than Andrea usually likes to wake on a workday, but not late by any stretch. And given that he’d only gotten maybe six hours of sleep, if that, the fact that he feels as good as he does is frankly miraculous.</p><p>He’s also got a message waiting for him. Not from Cloud, unfortunately, but from...</p><p>Narisa?</p><p>“What does she want...?” Andrea mutters to himself even as he opens it. Scans it over, eyebrows threatening to crawl halfway up his brow in the process. Apparently he has the day off. Something about renovations in a number of the practise rooms. Some contractor of hers able to squeeze them in earlier than planned. Knowing Narisa’s usual disdain for things happening ‘out of proper order’ Andrea can imagine she’s equal parts excited and peeved about the change.</p><p>Andrea bites at the edge of his lips. Not sure how he feels about the sudden free time. Were he still tired, he’d have taken it, happily. As it stands, all he feels is a little put out. He’d been looking forward to the distraction of work to keep his mind off fretting about Cloud.</p><p>Guess he’ll just have to find other ways to distract himself.</p><p>It takes Andrea a while to actually pry himself out of bed. Unwrapping himself from the veritable cocoon of blanket. He stretches languidly and decides a shower’s definitely in order given he’d been too tired last night to even attempt one. Spends another long while luxuriating in the hot water before he decides to be a little fancy for breakfast. Whips himself up a slightly rickety tower of crepes with fresh whipped cream and berries he’d just had to indulge in.</p><p>As he eats he gets a call from Claude and messages from Lucia. Both of them planning to get together again with the other Bees still in the city. Urging him to come along tonight for a bit of fun before they have to leave again. Andrea accepts in near a heartbeat, all too excited to get to spend even a little bit more time with his own.</p><p>He waits until he’s cleaned up after himself before hauling out his notebook from last night again and looking over. Winces as he sees the half-mad scribbles etched all throughout it. Notes and ideas. Plans and finalizing things all thrown together into a chaotic mess. Supposes that’s what he gets for trying to get real work done when he was so on edge. Still, it’s not all a lost cause by any means. If anything, a few little tweaks here and there and Andrea feels he’ll have a solid enough base to present to Narisa when she calls for it.</p><p>Truthfully, Andrea’s actually rather proud of himself. He’d known he was fully capable of getting things sorted out. But the fact it’s so close now, with time to spare as well, lifts one of the invisible weights off his shoulders. Andrea chuckles, rolling the weight of his head onto one fist and sighs. Damn. There goes another time sink he’d been hoping for. But he still sticks it out, working for a couple hours. Pondering in the back of his head what he’s going to do for the rest of his day.</p><p>His phone chirps from its place on the table and Andrea reaches for it. Smiling when he spies Tifa’s name. Flicks open the message.</p><p>
  <strong>Cloud’s supposed to be back today. Want to come over to the bar?</strong>
</p><p>Warmth curls cat-like in Andrea’s chest. Surprised and weirdly content. God, Tifa really is one of the kindest people he knows.</p><p><strong>I’d love to, if I’m not imposing. Have an unexpected day off today</strong>.</p><p>Tifa almost immediately replies. Urging him to come over. That her and the kids are having a day at home too. No sense in waiting by himself. With such apparent enthusiasm, Andrea happily packs up his things and gets himself together.</p><p>It’s near noon by the time Andrea gets there. Leisurely winding his way through the busy weekend streets. Sneaks into one of the little side bakeries on his way to pick up a few goodies for them all. Well worth it to see the kid’s faces light up when he comes through the door with a grin.</p><p>“I come bearing gifts for my gracious hosts.”</p><p>Andrea’s glad Tifa’s there because he would’ve given in immediately to the adorable, sulking faces when she tells them they have to wait till after lunch. So instead they get everybody involved, both as a distraction and also to make the treat an even sweeter reward.</p><p>Lunch is, as is often the case in Seventh Heaven Andrea’s come to realize, a lively affair. Both the kids are happy to fill the air with stories and questions. Occasionally needing to be prompted towards actually finishing their meal. But they prove an excellent distraction to Andrea’s wandering thoughts.</p><p>“Andi? Did you want another drink?”</p><p>Tifa holds out the pitcher- the second she’s whipped up as the hours drift by. A delightfully refreshing drink comprised of ice cold water mixed with hints of mint and lemon. Andrea grins and happily accepts a top up. They’d just finished cleaning up when there’s a noise that has them all turning.</p><p>The familiar roar of Fenrir’s engine just outside.</p><p>Denzel lights up as does Marlene, the two of them scurrying out from behind the counter and heading for the door. Andrea can’t help smiling at their ever present enthusiasm. Honestly biting back the urge to join them. Just beneath Fenrir’s engine there’s another sound. Another engine. Andrea frowns a little, glancing at Tifa who’d been fixing up the table they’d eat at. She’s looking outside a furrow on her face before her expression flickers.</p><p>“Kids. Stay inside.” There’s a sharpness to Tifa’s voice that Andrea rarely hears. Marlene and Denzel both stumble to halt just before they reach the doors. For a moment Andrea’s convinced Denzel’s going to ignore her words and rush out anyway. But Marlene grabs his hand and pulls him over towards the other window so they can look outside. Denzel goes, but it’s with very clear reluctance. Andrea gets from his seat carefully, eyeing Tifa, voice low as he asks,</p><p>“What’s wrong?”</p><p>There’s something apologetic in Tifa’s gaze when she glances at him. “Turks came with him. And I don’t like them around the kids.”</p><p>Surprise flares in Andrea’s chest as he edges over to peer out the window by her too. Sure enough, there’s Cloud, just clambering off his bike. Even from here Andrea can see he’s in a bit of a rough state. His motions slower than normal, clothes and hair a little mussed. But not too far from him is a sleeker, dark van. Out of which spill two men in the Turks classic dark, clean cut suits. The leaner of the two strolls over to Cloud. Blood red hair fiery in the afternoon sunshine. A sharp grin on sharper features. The other Turk trails him closely. Light glinting off obscuring dark sunglasses. They’re a little too far off to hear, just a rumble of voices, mostly from the red-head Andrea notes. The bald man with him seems even more taciturn than even Cloud.</p><p>Speaking of the blond, he’s prying open Fenrir’s seat, rooting around in it for a moment of two before he holds out something to the chatty one. The red head offers Cloud a sneer and a cocky salute as he takes it- whatever it is, Andrea can’t make it out from the angle.</p><p>They talk a while more. Andrea notes that Cloud’s stance never shifts from a carefully held defensiveness. Arms folded over his chest. One of the back doors of the van open and a slight, blond haired woman leans out. She apparently calls the other two off because a moment later they’re piling back into the van with her. Driving away.</p><p>Cloud hovers outside, watching until the van’s disappeared down the street and the engine can no longer be heard before he finally turns towards the bar. Those bright, but tired eyes lift and he spots the kids, who both perk up and wave to him. He raises a hand in return briefly. Hauling out a well used sack from inside his bike before he shuts the seat compartment and heads up the stairs.</p><p>He’s barely through the door before the kids are on him. Marlene gets her little hands curled tight into the wrap around his waist, beaming up at him as she welcomes him back. Denzel ducks around his other side. Grasping Cloud's wrist and talking at him about a mile a minute. Cloud takes it all in a familiar, if weary stride. Gaze flitting between the two of them with that warm, if confused fondness the kids always pull out of him so easily.</p><p>Andrea can’t help drinking in the sight of him.</p><p>God, Cloud looks so tired. Run down. Not as bad as the last time, when he’d pushed himself to the literal point of collapse. But still, he isn’t <em>well</em>. There’s a streak of soot on his face, and a red-ish mark just peeking out of his sleeveless top on the right side. Possibly a burn, but Andrea’s not certain.</p><p>Andrea feels that now too familiar roiling worry stirring in him again. Pushes it back by reminding himself that Cloud’s home again. Safe. He can rest now. Heal whatever ills ail him. Like that horrible, perpetual exhaustion that seems to haunt the light in his eyes after he gets back from these jobs.</p><p>Eventually Cloud’s attention drifts from the kids. Lifts towards Andrea briefly, a bright flicker in his eyes. Something surprised and warm that has Andrea’s heart doing back flips in his chest. A smile edging soft over his face as he dips his head in greeting. Then those pretty two toned eyes track away, landing on Tifa. Her whole expression’s soft with clear happiness, a tinge of worry. But most just pure relief.</p><p>“Welcome home.” She says, voice warm around her gentle smile. That soft, familiar secret smile folds over Cloud’s face in turn. He nods, the motion a little sedated.</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>Denzel tugs at Cloud a little, rocking back on his heels. For a brief spark of a moment there’s a shadow on Cloud’s face. The barest edge of a wince. Andrea probably would’ve missed it if his attention hadn’t been glued to the other man. The worry in him flickers higher. Attention narrowing as his eyes sweep over Cloud again. Slower. Assessing.</p><p>Strange. Cloud looks tense. Off. Something a little off kilter about his stance.</p><p>The blond sighs a little, gently tugging free of the boy’s hold as he hums. “Later.”</p><p>“Aww...”</p><p>“Denzel. He just got home, give him some time to get settled, hmm?” Tifa chides the boy gently, coming over to rest a hand on his shoulder. She and Cloud share one of their looks briefly as she gestures to Marlene who steps back from her guardian easily. Cloud glances at the girl, resting a hand lightly atop her head then ducking his as he heads towards the counter.</p><p>“’Scuse me.”</p><p>He vanishes in a creak of the stairs and Tifa shadows him. Andrea trails her, leaning against the counter, a faint furrow on his face as he glances towards the entrance to the house proper. The kids duck outside to play for a while at Tifa’s behest.</p><p>“Andi?”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Can you take that up to him?” Tifa asks, sliding a medical kit towards him over the counter. Alarm needles itself sharp into Andrea’s chest. He stares at her, wide eyed as Tifa continues, voice low and surprisingly casual, “He’s hurt and doesn’t want the kids to worry.”</p><p>That was why’d he hesitated with Denzel, Andrea realizes. He rests a hand atop the kit, something in him pulling tight. Cloud himself had said he’d been hurt. But it’d been a full day since then. And Andrea knows Cloud heals fast. The fact that Tifa’s asking him to do this is. More than a touch worrying. A moment later one of Tifa’s hands settles against his and Andrea blinks up at her again. “He’d have gone through the garage if it was serious. Easier to avoid people. He just needs a bit of help patching up and I know he’ll be happy it’s you.”</p><p>Oh. Andrea feels something new tighten in his chest. God, she really is one of the most genuine, sweet souls he’s ever known. He rests his free hand over hers, squeezing gently.</p><p>“Then I shall do my best.” Andrea replies with a grin Tifa’s easy smile settles his heart. He returns it briefly and scoops up the kit. Tifa waves him off with a cheerful call.</p><p>“Thanks Andi.”</p><p>Cloud’s not in his room when Andrea peeks in so he heads to the bathroom. Knocking twice.</p><p>“<em>Tifa</em>?” Cloud’s voice sounds, faintly muffled through the door. Andrea can’t help chuckling a little.</p><p>“Not quite.”</p><p>There’s a pause. Then movement on the other side as the lock clicks and the door cracks open. Cloud’s face appears, a faint furrow between his eyes. More confusion than anything.</p><p>“Don’t shoot the messenger?” Andrea says, holding up the kit. Cloud looks at it, sighs and then opens the door fully. He’s already stripped himself of his gloves, pauldron, harness and the wrap that usually sits around his waist. The lack of them makes him seem so. Small, compared to how he usually looks in his gear.</p><p>“Shoulda figured. Thanks.”</p><p>As Cloud reaches for it, Andrea pulls the kit away, rocking back on his heels. Cloud gaze flickers to his a brief furrow marking his brow. Andrea meets with a half smile. “May I help you?”</p><p>“It’s nothing serious.” Cloud mumbles, lovely, if tired eyes rolling. But he drops his hand and jerks his chin. “...Come in.”</p><p>Andrea closes and locks the door behind himself, mindful of Cloud’s apparent need for privacy even here. Cloud’s discarded gear settled atop the toilet seat in an oddly haphazard pile for the other’s usual military neatness. It’s another ‘off’ thing to add to the growing pile, but Andrea tucks it away as he moves to set the kit down on the counter top.</p><p>Cloud’s watching him, quietly. Intently. God, but it’s a relief to have those beautiful eyes back on him. To have Cloud here with him again. Andrea turns to face Cloud again, reaches out a gentle hand to brush Cloud’s jaw. Thumb sweeping across the soot marking his cheek. Andrea feels his expression fracture, just a little when Cloud leans into the touch.</p><p>“God I’ve missed you, my darling.” Andrea says, an edge of roughness to his voice. Cloud seems to catch it, brow twisting briefly. Eyes flickering with a spark of concern. He reaches back, fingers catching in Andrea’s shirt. Tugging lightly. Andrea steps forward into him. Head dipping down just enough to brush the ends of their noses gently. Hovering close and breathing Cloud in. The Mako sharpness lies heavy against his skin. Perhaps the most intense it’s ever been. But it’s cut through with the acrid scent of smoke. Twists Andrea’s gut, but he pushes it back.</p><p>There’s been enough wallowing and enough worry in him the past week for a lifetime. No more. Not today with Cloud here again.</p><p>Andrea smiles a little when he feels Cloud’s other hand settle on his waist too. The absent brush and squeeze of his fingers as he toys with the soft, green cotton fabric. Watches those bright, lidded eyes trace over his face slowly.</p><p>“Missed you too.” Cloud says, voice a low, barely there rumble even in the scant space between them. Ruptures something in Andrea’s chest, sharp and sudden. Especially when Cloud’s eyes meet his again. The twist between them still there, but sidestepping into something softer. Pulls a tender smile on Andrea’s face. Shifts his hand to curl it under Cloud’s chin, thumb brushing the edge of Cloud’s lips. Slow, careful. Something in him shivering when those sky-bright eyes go lidded. The dancer dips his head, lips brushing against Cloud’s as he slides his other hand around the blond’s back. Pressing at his spine to pull him closer.</p><p>Cloud flinches, a hissing gasp of pain as his expression twists sharply. Andrea let’s him go immediately, taking a step back.</p><p>“I’m sorry-”</p><p>“ ‘S fine. You didn’t know.” Cloud cuts him off with a shake of his head. Andrea sighs, fingers flexing absently by his side. Thrown back sharply to the reason they’re up here together in the first place.</p><p>“Right...come on. Get that off and we’ll get you patched up.” Cloud nods easily enough as Andrea wanders back over to the medkit. “What do you need?”</p><p>“Probably just the burn ointment.”</p><p>The words, casually as he says them, make Andrea flinch. So the fire’d been more than an incidental accident. There’s a long drag of a zipper as Cloud undoes his shirt and Andrea glances up. Watches through the mirror as Cloud shrugs out of it. Again the motion is strangely stiff, especially for him. Cloud shuffles around to hang the garment across the towel rack.</p><p>As he does, Andrea sees the cause of all Cloud’s odd, careful movements. Horror settling with all the weight of a boulder in his gut.</p><p>The burn is an ugly, vicious looking thing. Angular and sharp edged. Made all the more so from the awful, raw, reddish coloring and blisters scattered across it. It curls along near the entire length of Cloud’s back. Edges spilling over around his shoulder and sides.</p><p>The shape of it is. Strange. Broad, yet narrows at the edges. Like some manner of claw or talon But if it <em>is</em> from some manner of monster, Andrea has no idea what it could be. Does fit any of the myriad beasts he’s seen either within the Colosseum in times past or those he’d happened to catch glimpses of on their trip out to the ranch. And what’s more is the sheer size of it.</p><p>“I think your idea of not serious and mine are rather different, Cloud.” Andrea manages, voice slightly hoarse with shock. Cloud glances back over his shoulder at him. A flicker of something passing over his expression. Probably the first time he’s seen the wound.</p><p>“Probably.” Cloud replies, a weary kind of agreement as he nods. There’s a note of something almost amused underscoring his words and it twists something quietly hysterical in Andrea’s gut.</p><p><em>God</em>.</p><p>The fact they’re still so visible churns Andrea’s stomach. He knows perfectly well how quickly Cloud can heal. That’s what makes the sight so sickening. How bad must they’ve been to still be so present well over a day later?</p><p>Right on the heels of that is another horrifying question.</p><p>What in the <em>hell</em> was Cloud fighting? Andrea’s seen, first hand, just how capable a fighter Cloud is. Seen him dispatch a host of beasts without so much as breaking a sweat. So what had been able to get through his guard like this?</p><p>Andrea pushes back the quiet horror again. A furrow marking his brow.</p><p>“Were you seriously planning to deal with this all on your own?”</p><p>Cloud hums with a faint shrug, though the motion pulls at the wound. Enough to cast another pained furrow over his expression. “I’d manage.”</p><p>“Cloud...”</p><p>“Look, it’s already healing. It’s fine-”</p><p>“It is <em>not</em> fine.” Andrea cuts him off. Voice too sharp. Jagged beneath his worry. Cloud’s eyes grow a touch wider. Andrea sighs, an apologetic furrow on his brow. Fuck, he knows he’s being too much. Too pushy. Cloud doesn’t need that. So Andrea softens and reaches out a hand “I’m sorry. Will you let me take a look at it?”</p><p>Cloud comes over to him silently. Turning to offer his back to Andrea. There’s something strangely vulnerable to Cloud in this moment. To the gesture. The quiet, inherent trust in it. Makes it a bit easier to tuck away the sharp edges.</p><p>Up close the wound looks even worse. Seared into Cloud’s flesh. Irritated clearly, with blisters around the jagged edges. Andrea frowns, reaching to touch the sliver of unmarred skin on Cloud’s left shoulder.</p><p>“Did you use your healing materia?” Cloud hesitates a moment then shakes his head. Andrea’s heart threatens to crack. Why is he so determined to make himself suffer? Grits his teeth. Breathes. Forces his voice to something even as he asks. “Why not?”</p><p>“...I don’t like using it a lot. It-” It’s another of Cloud’s odd hesitances. One where Andrea’s honestly not sure if Cloud’s coming up short trying to find words to explain himself. Or if he’d just rather not try. “Relying on it’s dangerous. Sometimes it’s. Safer just to let things heal.”</p><p>Even as the words leave Cloud lips, all Andrea can think of is Cloud pulling it out before when all Andrea’d had was a split knuckle. Still, it’s not like he knows anything at all about materia or the magic it can work. Doesn’t understand the apparent ‘cost’ of it, that’s so clear beneath what Cloud manages to say. So he pops open the medkit and riffles through till he finds the burn ointment.</p><p>The look of quiet relief and gratitude on Cloud’s face is enough to settle a little of the anxieties buzzing around behind Andrea’s ribcage. The dancer steps behind Cloud as the other turns to brace his hands on the counter. Through the mirror their eyes meet briefly, Cloud nodding to give him the go ahead. Andrea squeezes some of the cool gel onto his fingers, spreading it around gently with his thumb before he reaches out, brushing them against the angry red skin across his shoulder blade.</p><p>Cloud inhales sharp through his nose. Shoulders hitching. A hiss of sound through briefly gritted teeth. Andrea flinches back, lifting his hand from the burn.</p><p>“I’m sor-”</p><p>“’s fine. Just do it.” Cloud say’s voice tense. He lets out a breath, the reflexive tension in him settling a touch. Their eyes meet through the mirror again. Cloud’s expression twists, something soft and sorry, but equally determined. “Please Andrea. I really don’t wanna drag Tifa up here just for this.”</p><p>Andrea trembles and has to take his own steadying breath. Fuck. <em>Fuck</em> does he hates it when Cloud’s in pain. Hates seeing it, <em>causing</em> it, whatever the case or reason might be. He hates it, he hates it, he <em>hates it</em>-</p><p>But he’ll do this all the same. Because he wants to help Cloud, in whatever ways he can. Because Cloud trusts him enough to ask for help in this moment. So Andrea pushed away his reservations- <em>No way out but through, Andi. You can do this. </em>- and turns fully to the task at hand. Steadies the tremors that want to shake him and focuses on making sure he spreads the ointment evenly across the entirety of the burn. Bites the inside of his cheek nearly raw choking back apologies and flinches when Cloud tenses or shifts before him. Cloud even snags the ointment from the counter. Working at the bits he can reach easily. Far less delicate about it than Andrea’s been</p><p>Andrea’s not sure how long it takes them, given how intensive the injury is. But eventually he runs out of wounded skin to cover. Pulls himself back out of the distant mind space he’d had to settle in to do a proper job. Takes a step back and critically eyes it. Not sure if he’s surprised by the fact already the irritation seems to be fading away. He knows Cloud’s a fast healer.</p><p>“Alright. I think that’s all of it.”</p><p>Cloud let’s a long, slow breath. Sinks his shoulders, head dropping with a worn down sort of exhaustion that pricks at Andrea’s heart like thorns. But it’s only for a moment. Then he straightens up, that same soft, yet apologetic warmth in his bright eyes as he glances at Andrea.</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>“Of course. Do you want me to bandage it?”</p><p>“Mm mm. ‘s fine.”</p><p>Something fractures in Andrea’s gut. Sharp as glass shards. Can’t help it stepping back up to the other. Carefully slides his arms around Cloud’s lean waist, fights back against the thought that he feels thinner- <em>again</em>. Carefully keeps himself angled away from Cloud’s back so he doesn’t irritate the burn. Ducks his head into the curve of Cloud’s neck. Listens to his pulse and breathes in the familiar chemical sharpness of his skin. Mixed with the medicinal tint of the ointment. Cloud tenses a little as he does, but a moment later his hands come up, curling firmly around Andrea’s upper arms.</p><p>“Hey.” Cloud’s voice is a low rumble in his throat. “’m okay. Really. Midgar’s finally cleaned up. Now it’s just the other places.”</p><p>The dancer buries a frown into the skin of Cloud’s left shoulder. A tight little knot between his eyes. Of course it would’ve been too much to hope that Midgar had been the last of Shinra’s mess. Andrea lets out a low sigh, squeezing Cloud a little tighter. “How many more?”</p><p>“Don’t know yet. They keep finding ‘em.”</p><p>Andrea’s grip tightens momentarily. Letting out a slow careful breath through his nose. Cloud’s going to stick with this until the end. Andrea knows that without having to ask. Cloud’s got it in him to not leave a thing half done as much as Andrea does.</p><p>Cloud shifts in his hold and Andrea loosens it immediately, realizing he’s been clingy and keeping Cloud trapped. But the blond surprises him, twisting around but not breaking free. One hand skating up through the air to hover just beside his cheek. Hesitant in that painful way Cloud always is before the calloused, warm brush of his fingers grazes the line of Andrea’s cheek.</p><p>“You don’t gotta worry about me, Andrea. You’ve got enough on your plate.” Cloud says it quietly, easily. Probably meant to be reassuring, but it just makes Andrea’s insides twist. Sharp and painful as a needle. He catches Cloud’s wrist before he pulls away and cradles his hand to his cheek.</p><p>“Cloud. Me having anything on my ‘plate’ has nothing to do with it. Frankly, I don’t think I’ve the capacity <em>not</em> to worry about you, at least a little.” Andrea threads their fingers together lightly. Reaches for Cloud’s face with his other hand and brushes at his hair. “In case you haven’t noticed, you’re rather important to me. And I know you’re out there doing dangerous work. So I think that rather comes with the territory, don’t you?”</p><p>“I can handle myself.” There’s a little furrow to the edge of Cloud’s mouth as he says it. Andrea hums. Nods.</p><p>“I know you can. You’re one of the most incredible people I’ve ever known.” Cloud’s still got that tight little knot between his eyes. His posture is almost defensive. Andrea can’t help echoing it a little. “Does it honestly bother you that much to have others worry?”</p><p>“Already said you don’t need to.”</p><p>God, this impossibly stubborn boy. Andrea closes his eyes a moment. Shakes his head and sighs internally. Brushes his thumb along the side of Cloud’s palm gently. Finally Andrea straightens a little, meets those surreal eyes again.</p><p>“...What if things were reversed?”</p><p>Cloud’s expression twitches. Shifts. Something confused softening the edges. “Huh?”</p><p>“What if I was the one out there, doing dangerous things? Would you worry?”</p><p>“I-”</p><p>It both hurts and warms parts of Andrea’s heart to watch the sudden, rapid fire play of emotions that dance behind Cloud’s eyes. Drifting out into his expression for less than a heartbeat of time each. Settles on something torn between all of them all at once as Cloud nods. Slow. But firm.</p><p>“Then why do you think you don’t deserve the same?”</p><p>“I...t-that’s not-” Cloud’s eyes drop away from his, drift to the side. The furrow between his eyes deepens. But also shifts. The light in his eyes fracturing into something oddly jagged. “Look. I screwed up, okay? But I’m being careful.”</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Oh Andrea doesn’t like that look on Cloud’s face one bit. That twist of self deprecation.</p><p>Somewhere they’ve gotten their wires crossed. Something slipped through the cracks. Because Cloud apparently thinks he’s <em>disappointed</em> Andrea. Andrea can see that, suddenly all too clear on his face. That surprisingly tender heart injured by such outwardly simple things.</p><p>And thinking back on what Cloud had said, Andrea thinks he knows why. At least to some degree. With a quiet hum, Andrea curls a hand against the line of Cloud’s jaw. Just enough pressure to ease Cloud’s gaze to flickering back to his.</p><p>“You came back home. That’s what’s important. I just wish you hadn’t gotten hurt.”</p><p>Cloud rolls his pretty eyes. A light shrug and faint scoff in his voice as he replies. “I’ve been through worse.”</p><p>Andrea doesn’t doubt that for a moment. But still, if anything, it just needles at him sharper than his earlier worry. Forces his voice and expression to careful evenness.</p><p>“Doesn’t mean you should have to go through more.”</p><p>The fact that his words seem to surprise Cloud on some level has Andrea tightening his grip on him. God. What kind of life, what kind of shadowy horrors has Cloud borne for that to be expected. From others. From <em>himself</em>. That drives him to so stubbornly double down on bearing those burdens still.</p><p>“’m not stopping.”</p><p>A painful, wry smile eks out onto Andrea’s face. A breathy, humming sigh through his nose and he nods.</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>He really does. Starting to think that there’s about nothing on the whole damn Planet that could stop Cloud when he really sets his mind to something. It’d be inspiring if it wasn’t putting him into such dangerous situations right now.</p><p>Cloud blinks at him, eyes shifting into something softer. Wider. The furrow of his brow twisting into something familiar. Something that makes Andrea’s heart swell with fondness. Especially when Cloud reaches out to him. Hands curling against Andrea’s shoulders. Warm and firm and frankly comforting.</p><p>“...Sorry.”</p><p>“Cloud-”</p><p>“I just. I need to-”</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea cuts him off. Catching one of Cloud’s hands under his and squeezing gently. Everything in him going soft as he shakes his head. “You don’t need to explain yourself. I know you’re doing what you need to. That it’s important.”</p><p>“...Yeah. Yeah it is.”</p><p>There’s that gentle, quiet relief in Cloud’s eyes again. Soft and warm and it lights that flickering candle-fire in Andrea’s chest. Andrea leans in and Cloud tilts his head sweetly to meet him. Andrea knows it’s ridiculous. But there’s always something about having Cloud close. About being able to hold him, kiss him, breathe him in, that settles that last knot of anxiety in his stomach. Unfurls the lingering tension which builds when Cloud’s away for so long.</p><p>They part with a soft noise, Andrea lingers close, watching those beautiful eyes.</p><p>“I know you’re needed around here. But if you’ve the time before you need to leave again, would you let me know?”</p><p>“Time for...?”</p><p>Andrea's eyes go lidded, voice low and intent as he tilts his head just a touch. A thrill trickling down his spine when he sees those bright eyes dart towards his mouth for an instant. Cloud own parting, just a touch.</p><p>“I’ve missed you.” Andrea replies evenly. “And I’d like to spend a bit of time with you, just the two of us.”</p><p>Cloud’s expression flickers. A spark bright in the back of his gaze. Andrea smiles at him, brushing his fingers against the arch of Cloud’s cheek. Feels just the faintest touch of extra heat beneath his skin.</p><p>“Sounds. Good.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles softly. “If it doesn’t work out, that’s fine. You do whatever you need to, Cloud.”</p><p>Cloud hums and shakes his head a little, hands curling a little more into the sides of Andrea’s shirt. “Doubt they’ll need me here for much anyway.”</p><p>“Keep in touch then.” Andrea replies, something in him sparking at the way Cloud’s eyes go a little wide. A touch of something like sadness maring their depths for a moment.</p><p>“You leaving?”</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Oh this sweet boy. God if it wasn’t his Bees asking him back out tonight Andrea’d call the whole damn thing off.</p><p>“Mm. Play date with some old colleagues this evening.”</p><p>Cloud’s expression shifts. Something like realization blossoming in the shadows of his face. Softening them. “From Midgar?”</p><p>“Mmm hmm.”</p><p>“’kay.” Cloud nods, mostly to himself. A little furrow between his brow as those pretty eyes dart back up to his. “Have fun?”</p><p>Andrea chuckles. Not surprised that his sweet, antisocial storm cloud is so hesitant to call what Andrea’s planning to do fun. Brushes gently at Cloud’s hair again as he smiles. Offers the other a wink as he steps back. “Oh I doubt I could have anything but with this crew.”</p><p>Cloud hovers a moment, then nods. Ducking around Andrea and heading for where his shirt’s hanging. The dancer turns and heads towards the door. Andrea pauses again as he reaches it, one hand on the knob. Glances back just in time to watch Cloud sling his shirt back on. Watches the burns disappear beneath the dark, heavy material. Even so Andrea knows he’s going to be seeing them in his minds eye for a long while.</p><p>The night with his Bees is much...<em>tamer</em> than their first. Only half of them there for one, just himself, Lucia, Claude, Noah, Ellie and Markus. Plus the majority of them leaving Edge in the next day or two. Time to return to their new lives. So there’s a bit of melancholy hovering in the air, though they fight against it with good cheer, tales and delicious food. Most of them are avoiding overindulging in alcohol again too. Due to travel plans of course, but it does make Andrea feel a little more at ease. Still feels rung through in a strange way after the last time. Unsurprisingly Claude pries the fact Cloud’s back out of him and it turns into a whole ordeal. The other three are as scandalized that Andrea’s kept ‘such a big secret’ from them. Markus remembers Cloud perhaps the best of them. Not surprising. Markus had a knack for faces and he’d had the most interactions with Cloud all those years ago of those here.</p><p>Blessedly, he doesn’t have to endure <em>too</em> much teasing from any of them. If anything, they’re all happy about the fact <em>he’s</em> happy. It’s unexpected in a way. But nice.</p><p>Parting that night’s hard. Harder even than the last. But Andrea promises them all that he’s doing what he can to get things settled. And that he’ll reach out should he has need of them. All too soon he’s by himself again, waving to Claude and Markus as they head off down the street together. Andrea tucks his hands into his coat pockets against the evening chill and starts for home.</p><p>It’s the color that catches his eyes first. A deep, familiar purple shade that calls to mind a very, <em>very</em> memorable night. Draws his steps to a halt just outside the shop window so he can peer at the chaise lounger. It’s an elegant piece to be sure. Dark cherry wood legs and a puff, velveteen fabric that reminds him of his arm chair. A single, sloped arm curving down along the back. Edged in pale gold metal accents.</p><p>Oh. Now that’s very pretty.</p><p>Andrea taps a finger against his lips, cocking a hip as he ponders. He has been idly keeping an eye out for a new piece for his bedroom. Had something similar back at the Inn and he's missed it. Having a way to relax in his room if he’d like, without feeling like he’s wasting time in bed.</p><p>The shop’s still open too. Can’t hurt to pop in and take a closer look...</p><p>He leaves not half an hour later with plans to have it delivered tomorrow afternoon.</p><p>Sunday’s a relatively quiet day. Andrea admits he’s glad for it. Gives him time to sit down and properly hash out the rest of his plans for the recital. Has it all but completely wrapped up when his new seat arrives. Spends a while taking a break from his work to set it up just right, which of course leads to him rearranging a good majority of his room. Realizing he hasn’t done so for ages. And the idea of stagnation prickles at him.</p><p>The first half of the week pass in a relatively busy blur. Laurem works everything out between her home life, school and finds the time to join his class. She’s excited and nervous and worried about it all, but Andrea has nothing but confidence in her abilities. She may be young, but he knows she’s the heart and soul of a dancer. She’ll do just fine. Besides that, Lucia’d left a few costume pieces and sketches with Claude to bring to him for Narisa. Speaking of the Director, she pops in Monday after his class, reminding him of the deadline on Thursday. Andrea can’t decide if he’s annoyed at the obvious reminder, or flattered that she really hasn’t bothered him about any of it until now. Right now he’s leaning towards cautiously optimistic. He knows she have tweaks and things to nearly every piece of what he’s ready to propose, that’s just how Narisa is. But even so. He’s more than confident in the plan he’s putting forth.</p><p>On and off throughout both days, he actually manages to catch Cloud in a few text conversations when Andrea’s settled at home. They’re short and simple. Andrea just throwing out things about his day and- when he remembers to- Cloud replying in turn. But it’s been a long time since Andrea’s done this. A part of him has missed it, and it’s nice to get back in the habit. He tries not to pry or push. Knows Cloud’s been sorely missed at home. But he admits himself both surprised and touched when Cloud asks if he can come by Thursday evening after Andrea’s finished work. An offer Andrea’s all too happy to accept. After all it’ll be his most free night since his layout will be in Narisa’s hands by then and she likely won’t get back to him till after the weekend with all her notes.</p><p>Thursday comes and it’s all too soon before Andrea’s standing outside the Director’s door. He’s not nervous, knows he’s done what was asked and more besides. But still, he steadies himself with a breath, squares his shoulders and knocks.</p><p>“Come in.” Narisa’s sharp voice sounds before the echo of his hand against the wood has even faded from the air. Andrea eases into her office and closes the door behind him. He hasn’t spent much time in the room, save for when he’d been interviewed and a handful of times after that. Honestly, he doesn’t think Narisa does either. She far prefers to go after the people she wants to speak to in the comfort of the practise rooms.</p><p>As such the space is very simple. Clean and straightforward. Just her desk, a towering metal drawer set with all the personal files and such for the studio itself. A low seated, but comfortably plush couch that Andrea knows Narisa spends more nights on than not. As married to her work and space as he’d been to the Inn.</p><p>God, he cannot <em>wait</em> to get to that point again.</p><p>“Rhodea.” Narisa greets him without looking up, reading over some paper or such. Probably from the construction crew that’d been here over the weekend. They’d done a very good job with their touch ups and installing the full wall length mirrors instead of the large, but split panels they’d been working with before. Andrea’s even made a note to see if he can tease the name of the company out of Narisa to do some work for him once he finds the proper space for his rebuild.</p><p>“Director. I hope today finds you well.”</p><p>“It’ll be better once I know what you're planning.” She replies, a sigh under her voice as she sets the document aside and holds out a hand. Andrea relinquishes the brimming, but neat file folder easily and takes a seat on the slightly rickety chair set before her desk. Narisa sets the file down in front of her and flips it open, leafing absently through the sheets. Clean and neat and Andrea’d spent the better part of yesterday penning them out tidily so his vision is as clear to others as it is in his head.</p><p>“I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.” Andrea says cordially. Narisa just makes a short, sharp hum of a sound he supposes is an agreement. Andrea folds his hands easily in his lap, leaning back in the chair more comfortably.</p><p>Narisa’s a creature of habit. Something he can understand if not fully appreciate. She’s far more fixed in her ways than he is. But he knows that under pressure and life’s general messiness she’s as excellent at improvisation as he is. Funny how, for all their opposites and for how much they outweigh any similarities between them, there are still beats that they line up in. Surprisingly well at that. If Andrea were not as ambitious as he’s always been, he could have found himself content to linger here.</p><p>But Sprightly Steps was never going to be more than. Well. A stepping stone for his plans and aspirations. Still, he’s always been appreciative of the opportunity he was given. To work in a field so related to what he loves with all his heart. It’s why he’s been more than happy to give it his all in planning the upcoming production.</p><p>The office is quiet for a long while, just the absent chatter of students passing by outside and the distant strains of music from one of the rooms. The flip and rustle of papers as Narisa pours through the file. He honestly surprised he hasn’t caught a pen in her hand yet. Ready to write and rewrite things to suit her. But he knows that’ll happen soon enough. Probably when she’s rid of him for the day.</p><p>His phone chirps in his pocket and Andrea flinches, realizing he forgot to turn it off. Utters a quiet apology when he catches one of Narisa’s steely eyes peeking up at him. Plucks it out and can’t help smiling when he sees Cloud’s name.</p><p>
  <strong>Still on tonight?</strong>
</p><p>Andrea feels a little bad, likes to get back to Cloud quickly when he can. But also knows it’d be poor form while he’s still technically at work-</p><p>“Was that your heart calling?”</p><p>Narisa’s oddly quiet voice is sudden after the prolonged absence. Andrea blinks and looks up at her.</p><p>“I-...I’m sorry?”</p><p>“The young man you were with the other day. Who sparked that fire in you last recital.” She gestures absently to the phone still in his hand as she leans back in her seat again. Hands dropping to her lap out of his view. A faint furrow twists Andrea’s brow. Not sure how he’s meant to respond to the odd, slightly prying question. He’s not out to share his personal life and affairs here. Whatever it is his expression does before he manages to settle on something neutral is enough to have Narisa scoff. “Please. I really don’t care. I’m just realizing you’re determined to keep surprising me.”</p><p>“So you like the plan?” Andrea replies evenly, steering things back onto more common ground. The Director, unsurprisingly, rolls her eyes.</p><p>“I have some suggestions. But,” Her sharp shoulders shrug, “I’ll admit I was expecting to find it much more...outlandish from you.”</p><p>It’s not disappointment, but there is <em>something</em> edging her voice that Andrea can’t quite place. He hums quietly. “I know when and where my usual extravagance is needed. But I think we’d be better suited to frame the studio’s more natural talents than to try and cover it up. At least, while it’s still so young.”</p><p>Narisa hums, but there’s a familiar spark in her gaze. Something edging on approval, or as close to really gets to it with him anyway.</p><p>“I’ll have my notes prepared come Monday. Take some time, Rhodea. You’re going to need it with your new class starting next week.”</p><p>“I believe that I will. Thank you for your time Director.” Andrea replies, getting to his feet with a short sketch of a bow before he heads for the door.</p><p>He fires off messages to both Claude and Lucia that he’s just waiting on an okay on Monday before they can really get to work. They both respond in near record time with enthusiasm so catchy it all but leaks from the screen. It’s funny, Andrea hadn’t thought the weight of planning had been sitting quite so heavy on his shoulders until it’s gone. A lightness to his feet he’s having a hard time remembering the last time he felt so good.</p><p>Actually, come to think of it, since that strange break in his dreams a few days ago, Andrea admits that he’s been feeling much more himself lately. A strange thought, perhaps, hadn’t realized he’d been so...off. But right now things are good. Better than, actually.</p><p>A warm, excited smile crawls bright across his face as he traipses up the stairs to his apartment. The fact he gets to see Cloud in a little while is just the perfect bow atop a wonderful day.</p><p>Andrea’s only been home for an hour or so when the knock sounds. A familiar set and rhythm that plucks an absent idea in his head before he tucks it away. Hurrying down the hall to answer it. Smiling only growing wider when his gaze lands on Cloud’s face.</p><p>“Good evening, my darling. Come in.” Andrea steps to the side to give Cloud room to shuffle past him. Cloud does, returning the greeting with a soft, “Hey.” as sheds the short sleeve, gunmetal-grey jacket he was wearing. Hanging it carefully beside the small collection of them Andrea keeps on the hooks there. Bends to tug off his boots and sets them neatly to the side. While he does Andrea slips by to wait in the living room by the window.</p><p>When Cloud straightens and turns to look at Andrea, the dancer feels a quiet swell of something. God, it feels like forever since Cloud’s been here. A silly thought really, little more than a week or so now. But evening knowing that isn’t enough to stop Andrea from reaching out and gently pulling the other closer. Heart shivering in his chest when Cloud comes to him easily. Those impossible eyes bright and lovely in the warm amber light of sunset.</p><p>He looks like he’s doing better than he had been upon his return. Not quite so pale and the shadows around and in his eyes a little lesser. Still, Andrea bushes a thumb against the tender skin just beneath one of them gently. A smile still hovering around the edge of his lips as Cloud hums at him, a quiet note of confusion in the sound.</p><p>“It’s good to have you back, Cloud.”</p><p>“Told you before. ‘m not going anywhere.” Cloud replies, with a quiet touch of annoyance to his words. Andrea chuckles.</p><p>“Indeed you did. But it still makes me happy.” Brushing a hand gently against Cloud’s cheek, Andrea tips his head. Smile shifting, softening. Voice dropping to warm, sedate whisper. “<em>You</em> make me happy.”</p><p>There’s that painful flicker in Cloud’s eyes again. Equal parts confusion and startled warmth. But he’s still the one to close the distance between them. Still the one arching up to press their lips together gently. Hands settling against Andrea’s chest. Twin points of comforting warmth.</p><p>Andrea hums against him, tilts his head just a touch more to press closer. Sliding a hand carefully through Cloud’s golden hair. The silken strands gliding between his fingers easily. His other hand settles against Cloud’s waist and drifts back. He goes to press Cloud closer to him still, when memory sparks, sharp and just a touch painful. Makes him hesitate and Cloud apparently notices it. Can practically feel Cloud rolling his eyes again as he drops back a touch.</p><p>“Quit it." The blond grumbles at him, " ‘s already healed.” Andrea hums, nuzzling at him tenderly as Cloud’s words ease something inside him. He’s not surprised. Knew that Cloud’s wounds had had more than enough time to heal by now. But it’s still a relief to be able to clutch the other close. To run his hands down the lean, toned lines of Cloud’s back and know he’s not going to cause him pain.</p><p>He catches that lovely mouth again. Still tender and warm. More the sake of closeness than anything really. Settling into an absent rhythm of fleeting brushes and lingering presses. Presses at Cloud just a little after a time. Smiles when it coaxes the other’s arms up around his neck. Andrea wraps his around that lithe waist.</p><p>Eventually they drift apart, Andrea content to just curl a little further around Cloud. Nosing at his hairline and breathing him in. One of Cloud’s hands shifts up. Gliding lightly over Andrea’s short cropped hair. There’s something...careful to the touch. To the low murmur of his voice beside Andrea’s ear.</p><p>“Andrea...?”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“I-. You too.” There’s a brush of slender, calloused fingers behind Andrea’s ear. Tracing his tattoo absently. Andrea hums, a questioning sound in the quiet. Cloud shifts, just a touch. Finger pausing about where the bud of the rose would be. A heartbeat of quiet, of stillness. Maybe two. Then Cloud’s voice continues, low. But steady. Certain. “’m happy with you too.”</p><p>The breath catches in Andrea’s chest. Sharp and sudden. Something threatening to rupture in his chest. A flood of warm through him, leaking up and pressing hard behind his eyes. It’s a small miracle his breath only shakes for a moment as he lets it out. Slow. Careful. His arms tighten around Cloud. Pulling him closer. Tighter. Something like a smile wavering to shaky, but genuine life on his face as Andrea presses his lips to Cloud’s temple.</p><p>God, this boy. The impossible, surprising, <em>beautiful</em> soul.</p><p>“You okay...?”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea hums, a questioning sound. Pulled back out of his wonder by Cloud’s soft voice.</p><p>Cloud shifts a little again, “Just. Acting weird. Clingy.”</p><p>“Too much?” Andrea says, willing to move if Cloud starts to pull away. But instead he feels Cloud’s head shake. Feels the gentle trace of his finger behind his ear again.</p><p>Ah. Andrea can tell he’s worried him. It’s just his own fool heart again anyway. So he reluctantly loosens his own grip, pulls back enough so he can see Cloud’s face again. As he’d thought, there’s that endearing little furrow on his brow. Quiet worry in his eyes.</p><p>“I’m fine, sweetheart.” Andrea assures him gently, smiling. Expression twisting a touch wryly. “But I did miss you. A great deal. And right now I’d just like to have you close for a while. If you’ll indulge me, of course.”</p><p>Cloud blinks at him. Surprise flickering over his face. Still, he nods. Lets Andrea catch his hand and tug him along. They wind up sprawled on the couch. Cloud’s weight largely settled against Andrea. Cloud folds his arms over Andrea’s chest, chin resting on his forearms. The dying light catches in the ends of his wild hair. Turns them gold. The shadows soft against his face making his eyes stand out so vibrantly.</p><p>God, Andrea would be perfectly content just to watch him. For hours upon hours. And Cloud’s being so sweet to him. Lets Andrea gently trace his fingers along his features. Brushing a finger over the scar the splits his left brow. Down the slope of his nose. Under that pretty mouth that Andrea’s absently fighting himself against catching again. Right now he’s just. Content to take Cloud in. All of him.</p><p>As they linger there, Cloud’s attention shifts. Wavers slightly. Drifts. That shadow that Andrea’d noticed when he returned hovering in the depths of his eyes. Prods a little at Andrea. Sharp against the soft quiet of the evening.</p><p>“Are <em>you</em> alright?”</p><p>It takes a moment for Cloud to drag his focus back. Attention flickering back into his gaze as he turns back to Andrea. A little furrow and a question in the gentle noise he makes.</p><p>“You seem...quiet, my dear. More than usual.” Andrea concedes with a smile at the look Cloud gives him. But it only lasts a moment or two before Cloud’s attention drifts again. He shifts, weight sinking a bit more against Andrea. Andrea can see the wheels in his head turning. A quiet kind of relief in himself to see it. Because it means that Cloud’s not slipping off to those worrying corners of his mind. But he’s quiet still, a touch too long. “Cloud?”</p><p>“...Sorry. Just. Thinking.”</p><p>“May I ask about what?”</p><p>“’s not exactly small talk.”</p><p>“Ah. Work related then?”</p><p>“Mm.” Cloud hums, the sounds a touch noncommittal. Something more then, but Andrea’s not about to pry. Can already see the flickering discomfort hovering in the shadows of Cloud’s expression. Andrea strokes his thumb against the edge of Cloud’s mouth gently.</p><p>“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, Cloud. But I’m happy to listen, if you do.”</p><p>Cloud’s quiet for a while. Contemplative. Serious. Andrea waits. Happy just to be here, to be with him. Finally, Cloud shakes his head, a furrow between his eyes that speaks of apology. Stings a touch, but Andrea expected it. And Cloud surprises him anyway, fingers absently toying with the neckline of his shirt. Fingers warm against his skin.</p><p>“I don’t-. I don’t wanna waste time on it.”</p><p>Andrea hums. That he can understand. Smiles and taps a finger against Cloud’s chin gently to get the other to look at him again.</p><p>“What <em>do</em> you want to ‘waste time on’ then lovely?”</p><p>There’s a wash of gratitude that passes bright through Cloud’s eyes. One of his beautiful shadowy smiles hovering in the corner of his lips. Enough to have Andrea’s heart skip and race subtly in his chest. Cloud moves to brace his hands on Andrea’s chest, levering himself up and over the dancer slightly. Those gorgeous eyes intent on his.</p><p>“You.” Cloud replies, in that simple, no-nonsense way. Doesn’t give Andrea a chance to respond before Cloud’s dipping down to kiss him. Andrea makes a soft noise, almost surprised. But it eases into something deeper, warmer as he slides his fingers around to the back of his head. Winds them through golden strands.</p><p>A low chuckle slips from Andrea once Cloud pulls back again. Heat simmering low and quiet in his gut. “Lucky me, then.”</p><p>Cloud huffs at him. Annoyance, hovering just on the edge of something fond clear on his face. “Whatever you say.”</p><p>“Oh?” Andrea hums, arching a brow. “Well in that case.”</p><p>Andrea sits up and Cloud shifts with him. Moving to kneel on the couch, sitting back on his heels. Eyes a little wide as Andrea reaches for him. Hands falling to rest on Cloud’s upper arms. Tracing the toned muscle and bracketing the other between his knees as the dancer leans in.</p><p>“Then I say that I’m <em>exceptionally</em> lucky.” Andrea murmurs, pressing his lips to the edge of Cloud’s jaw. “That such a gorgeous, sweet, incredible man would want to waste his precious time with me.”</p><p>As he speaks, Andrea feathers his lips gently along Cloud’s jaw. Just to the edge of his mouth. Eyes lidded and a smile curling his lips. Nosing gently at the warm, smooth skin of his cheek. Hands sliding down Cloud’s arms to find his hands. Warmth flickers bright in his chest when Cloud turns them absently to let Andrea slide his fingers between Cloud’s.</p><p>Andrea can’t help chuckling at himself. God, he really is being as clingy as Cloud said isn’t he. But Cloud hasn’t told him off and Andrea can’t find it in him to stop. Contentment and relief settling something deep inside him. To have the other so close again. Safe after the frankly hellish worry that’d plagued Andrea. Tilts his head to teasingly glance his lips off Cloud’s. Cloud only allows his nonsense for a few moments before he turns his head away with a grumble.</p><p>“Knock it off, sap.” Andrea grins then blinks, surprised when Cloud moves. Shifting to get up. Andrea links his fingers with Cloud’s tighter. A quiet, plaintive questioning noise in the back of his throat. Cloud meets his eye and jerks his chin. “Come on. I know you didn’t have enough time to get anything decent to eat.”</p><p>Cloud tugs and Andrea let’s the blond pull him to his feet. Follows along behind as Cloud tows them both towards the kitchen. The smile on his face hovering, a near permanent fixture the last while. Squeezes Cloud’s hand again, the two of them still locked together.</p><p>Maybe lucky’s the wrong word. Maybe it’s silly of him to think. But right now it’s determined to loop itself through Andrea’s mind. Round and round in a warm, gentle swirl of happiness. Because Andrea treasures every moment that Cloud’s ever deigned to waste on him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So the materia thing is my own persona headcanon-y thing I'm running with in D(fS). Basically the best way to explain it I guess is that materia is esentially just super condensed Lifestream, right? And Lifestream = Mako and given Cloud's past....experiences with the stuff, he's hesitant to use it much for what to his mind is minor things. And that runs along the same lines. This is largely because I don't want any...easy fix buttons in this story. It takes all the tension out if there's a magic eraser ^^"  So I'm giving the magic a cost, outside of just the 'energy' it requires to cast.</p><p>Oh! And here's links to the chaise Andi picked up:</p><p>Appearance: <a>https://i.pinimg.com/564x/65/67/07/656707441b8dfb2d52ecac02afbc9d1e.jpg</a></p><p>Color: <a>https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b7/61/bb/b761bb8769fe8270408c6e9a8b12fa2d.jpg</a></p><p>Thanks to CervusDeer for helping me find them!!  &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Quiet Moments</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So the lovely Avi's the reason you lovelies are getting two chapters this go 'round. They were the deciding factor in whether or not these were gonna be together or separate. So what do we always say peeps? Oh that's right AVASTI IS THE BEST!!! &lt;3</p><p>So this one's a lil shorty ^^" Specially for me but I hope it's enjoyable non-the-less.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are you spending the night?” Andrea asks as they finish cleaning up. It was a light meal, which meant an easy clean up. The question has been hovering around the back of Andrea’s mind for a while and as the evening winds on he figures he may as well ask.</p><p>“I can.” Cloud replies, drying his hands on a nearby towel. Andrea chuckles as the answer, glancing at Cloud from the corner of his eye as he closes the last cupboard.</p><p>“Do you want to?”</p><p>Cloud hums. “If it’s okay with you.”</p><p>“You know it is, lovely. You’re always welcome here.”</p><p>“Then guess I’m sticking around.” Cloud shrugs, something casually blase about the flickering in the corner of that pretty mouth. Andrea reaches out and catches Cloud’s closest hand, tugging the other along as they head out of the kitchen. Cloud lets with an only slightly put upon little sigh. And alright, maybe Andrea’s clingy-ness has been ongoing all throughout their time together tonight. But even Cloud’s usual grumbling at it has seemed somewhat diminished. Though perhaps that just a bit of wilful ignorance on Andrea’s part. Just happy and perfectly content to have the other here.</p><p>“You mind heading up then? To the roof I mean.”</p><p>“Oh. Sure.” There’s a question in Cloud’s voice, but he follows along anyway. They clamber up the escape and seat themselves on one the low benches. The sun’s just dipped low enough beneath the horizon to let the stars start flickering to life above. Andrea leans back on his hands, legs stretched out before him. Cloud’s more sedate. Arms braced over his knees as he leans forward, head and eyes angled up towards the darkening sky above.</p><p>“There a reason you wanted to come up here?”</p><p>“Hmm? Oh, no not particularly. Just thought a bit of fresh air’d be nice.”</p><p>Andrea hasn’t been up here in a while. A few weeks at least. And while he’s always known that the area it overlooks is a whole lot of barren, dead earth. After finally getting away from it, even just that one day out to the ranch, makes the whole thing verge on depressing. Still, the sky’s as beautiful as it always is, so Andrea keeps his attention there. Happy to take in another moment of peace and quiet.</p><p>But apparently, Cloud’s not.</p><p>“...Hey. Uh.” Cloud’s bright eyes dart to him for a moment. Wringing his hands idly between his knees. Another of those awful little furrows twisting his brow. “Things okay?”</p><p>Andrea blinks, surprised and confused in equal measure by the question. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“You were up pretty late the night I called. Work keeping you that busy?”</p><p>Something buzzes to life in Andrea’s chest. Cloud’s been thinking about that? All this time? Something in Andrea softens. Brightens. He reaches out to curl a hand against Cloud’s wrist gently. Squeezing and smiling when those eyes turn to him again.</p><p>“I was busy. My deadline was creeping up on me after all. But all that’s behind me now. I’m alright sweetheart.”</p><p>Cloud sits back, just a touch. Angling so he’s more facing Andrea than anything. “You sure?”</p><p>“Very.” Andrea replies with an even smile and a hint of shrug.“Of course, things are going to get rather hectic again given time. Such is the nature of performance. For now though, I’m perfectly fine.”</p><p>Cloud’s gaze lingers on Andrea for a moment. Something quiet and considering sitting in the back of his eyes. Then he lets out a soft sigh and nods.</p><p>“’kay.”</p><p>The breeze blows across the rooftop again, carrying with it the still novel scent of rain. Cloud turns towards the horizon. Peering out with bright, narrowed eyes.</p><p>“Storm’s coming in.”</p><p>Andrea glances out over the wastes, sees the low, rolling storm clouds starting to inch their way out over the sky. They’d been hovering on the horizon all day. Seems the wind’s finally turned towards them, dragging the storm along and tucking the stars behind a heavy blanket. If he strains, he can hear the first rumblings of distant thunder. The smell of ozone filling the air.</p><p>Funny, Andrea still remembers the first time he’d experienced a real one. Undiluted by the stench of the slums and the shelter of the Plate. Wonder and base animal worry sparking along his spine when lightning arched through the sky and thunder crashed close behind. But now he’s come to welcome it. To bask in it and the wash of cool, cleansing rainfall. Almost made himself sick the first time with how long he’d lingered out in the storm.</p><p>“Did it rain much where you’re from?” Andrea asks gently. Curious, but not wanting to pry if Cloud doesn’t want to talk about his old home. A slight frown curls over Cloud’s features, but the tilt of it is much more contemplative than upset.</p><p>“Uh. Depended on the time of year I think. Usually turned to snow coming off Mt. Nibel.”</p><p>“Ah snow. Something I’ve yet to experience myself.” Andrea hums, a touch wistful. Cloud huffs, shaking his head.</p><p>“Not missing much. It’s just a lotta frozen water.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles and shrugs. He’d still like to see it one day. There’s a lot of things he’d still like to experience one day. With Cloud here the possibility of it’s never felt closer. But even so, Andrea knows that the world’s a big place. That travel is hard. Dangerous. And there’s so much else besides he needs to focus on right now. Tucks that quiet curiosity back into it’s place behind his heart and stretches leisurely. The next rumble of thunder is closer. A few flashes of lightning buried in the dark heads of the incoming clouds.</p><p>“Well, lovely. Shall we go inside before we got caught out in it?”</p><p>Cloud nods, and pushes up. Turns to offer a hand to Andrea and help him to his feet easily. Andrea grins and lets the momentum carry him forward into the other. Cloud blinks, startled and catches him. Hands against Andrea’s waist, a firm grip. The dancer smiles. Touched and pleased and still floating in that warm, content haze. Tilts his head, eyes soft and lidded as he stares into surreal blue-green.</p><p>He’s not the only one watching either. Cloud’s attention on him, now that he’s realized Andrea’s just screwing around. Andrea loves it. The weight of it is comforting unlike anything he’s ever experienced before. He’s not sure why. It’s just...</p><p>Cloud.</p><p>Their lips brush almost before Andrea’s realized he’s leaned in. Or maybe Cloud was the one that closed the distance. But the semantics of it all don’t mean much. Either way, Andrea’s all too happy to lose himself to the moment. To the warmth and press of skin on skin. To the quiet humming noise hovering in the air between them.</p><p>“Thought you wanted to go in.” Cloud murmurs when they drift apart. Still close enough Andrea can still feel Cloud’s breath against his skin. Andrea hums and smiles a little.</p><p>“In a minute.” He murmurs, reaching a hand up slowly to brush Cloud’s cheek. Thumb trailing the edge of his eye. It’s dark enough now that he can see the subtle, ever present glow in Cloud’s eyes. Funny how similar, yet how different it is from the light that he sees in his dreams at times. Funny how the ‘unnatural’ nature of it has become so second nature to notice. That light has always entranced him, from the very first time he noticed it. Different here in the darkness of night than it is indoors too, though Andrea’s not quite sure how he’d describe the differences. They’re subtle. Quiet. Much like Cloud himself.</p><p>Speaking of, it’s hard to make out his expression in the growing shadows. But Andrea can feel himself being watched. Sees a familiar focus in those luminescent eyes as they trail across his face. Considering. Andrea hums a mute, questioning noise and Cloud’s eyes flicker a moment. His grip on Andrea shifts, hands slipping down to curl against the dancer’s hips as Cloud leans in to kiss him again.</p><p>A quiet rush of warmth bursts through Andrea and he makes a low noise of interest as Cloud tugs at him, just slightly. More a suggestion than anything. One Andrea’s all too happy to oblige, sliding his hand into Cloud’s hair as he wraps the other around the blond’s neck. Any space that may have lain between them vanishes.</p><p>Humming Andrea tilts his head. Deepening the kiss and brushing the tip of his tongue against the seam of Cloud’s lips. Heat flickering low in his gut when they part easily at the touch. At the quiet noise Cloud makes as Andrea angles him back a touch more.</p><p>Andrea makes a soft sound of surprise when he feels slender, calloused fingers dip beneath the hem of his shirt. Trailing along towards the small of his back. The heat of his skin makes a shiver ripple up Andrea’s spine.</p><p>“Cloud...”</p><p>A gust of chilled air gusts across them, doing a rather good job of cutting through the growing heat between them. Andrea shivers a touch. Dressed for the warmer day of earlier than the oncoming storm’s chill. Of course Cloud notices. A faintly exasperated sound to the sigh he lets out.</p><p>“Come on.” His fingers brush Andrea’s. Catching lightly against them as Cloud turns and tugs him along. Andrea lets out a breathy laugh, slides his fingers tighter through Cloud’s and let’s the other lead him back down and inside.</p><p>“Are you ready for bed?” Andrea asks as he strips his shoes and sets them aside.</p><p>“Not really tired yet. But,” Cloud continues before Andrea can open his mouth. Two toned eyes flicker to his. Something unusually quiet in their wide, beautiful depths. “That sounds. Good.”</p><p>Surprise flickers candle soft in Andrea’s chest. Something in him melting, just a touch. Smiles and knows his expression shifts into something ridiculously fond. How very like Cloud, to ask for closeness without <em>asking</em>.</p><p>“Yes it does.” Andrea murmurs, gesturing Cloud to follow with a gentle jerk of his head. They head for the bedroom and Andrea carefully picks his way across the floor to the bedside, still getting himself accustomed the new set up. Cloud hovers behind him glancing around despite the dark.</p><p>“You got a new chair.”</p><p>“Indeed. Just this afternoon actually.” Andrea says, flicking on the lamp. Laughing low when he catches the surprised arch of Cloud’s brow and roll of his eyes when he gets a good look at the color. “It’s very comfortable. Want to try it out?”</p><p>“Nah. Maybe tomorrow.”</p><p>“As you like, my dear.” Andrea concedes with a chuckle. He excuses himself for a few moments, slipping away to the bathroom to freshen up after the day. Returns to find Cloud already in bed. Shirtless and in the loose, comfortable sweats Andrea usually lends him when he spends the night. Something in Andrea shivers, warms. To know they have such a ‘routine’ as it were. To realize that Cloud’s comfortable enough here to settle in on his own.</p><p>Cloud rolls his head to eye the dancer, hands laced against the pillow behind it. The soft lamp light highlighting the angles of his face prettily.</p><p>“You coming?” He asks after a moment, the tiniest furrow between his bright eyes. Andrea shakes himself from his admiration and closes the door with a soft click before he heads to the bed. Cloud’s bright eyes may as well be a sirens call, because Andrea finds himself drawn to the other. Shuffling across the blanket to lean over Cloud. Smiling down at that pretty face. Can’t help leaning down to kiss him. Soft and tender and slow. Hums deep in his chest when Cloud shifts beneath him after a few minutes. Shifting his hands from behind his head. The heat of them pressing to Andrea’s shoulders, trailing down.</p><p>“Not sleeping in this are you?” Cloud mumbles against his lips, hands tugging at the hem of his shirt. Andrea chuckles, pulling back enough to see Cloud’s face properly.</p><p>“Hadn’t planned on it. But I got a little distracted.” He says around a quiet grin. Cloud huffs at him, and pulls it up. Andrea helps him tug it over his head and tosses it away carelessly. Shimmies out of his trousers too and they share the same fate after he fishes out his phone. He really doesn’t care much for any mess at the moment. It can all be dealt with tomorrow.</p><p>The patter of rain against the window is a beautiful baseline of music to the quiet. The rumble of thunder and brief flashes of lightning.</p><p>Cloud turns towards it, rolling onto his side, head pillowed on his arm. Andrea curls up close against the blond, fitting his legs along the slight bend of Cloud’s. Dips his head just a touch to press his lips to the warm, soft skin of his neck. Smiling when he hears the quiet noise Cloud makes. Something between a hum and a sigh as Andrea slowly picks his way down. Across the smooth and unmarred skin of his lean shoulder. It’s another breath of relief somewhere beneath his ribs. To see the physical proof of Cloud’s return to health.</p><p>Andrea can admit having all too much fun finding and following the haphazard trail of little freckles and moles that decorate Cloud’s skin here. Drifting like distant, far spread constellations down his arm. Reminds him, just a little of the scattered ‘stars’ that’d graced the bottom of the plate to bring them some tiny blessing of light to the perpetual gloom.</p><p>In truth, back underground, Andrea had always preferred the constant, nearby glint of the spotlight on his stage to Shinra’s false stars overhead.</p><p>Now, even though they are so, so much further than the Plate lights had ever been. Andrea thinks the real stars have become his favorite. But since he can no more reach them than he could back then, he’s happy to content himself tracing a finger between the ones that dot Cloud’s skin.</p><p>“What’re you doing?” Cloud asks after a minute or two. Voice low and quiet. Just the faintest edge of his usual put upon annoyance. Andrea chuckles, curling his hand around Cloud’s upper arm, stroking his thumb over one of the little moles he’s found there. Endearing. Nuzzles against Cloud’s shoulder blade a moment before he nips at it. Grinning to himself when Cloud twitches, just a little at the touch.</p><p>“Oh just admiring you, beautiful.” Andrea replies lightly, a smile dancing across his features. Can feel Cloud rolling his eyes at him. Fair enough. Rare is the moment that Andrea finds himself <em>not</em> admiring the other when he’s near. Still, Andrea shuffles a little in place. Shifting down just a touch. Tracing the sharp curve of Cloud’s shoulder. “And wondering if you’d mind me leaving a mark of my own here...?”</p><p>Cloud’s quiet a moment, then Andrea hears the rustle of his wild hair against the soft cotton of the pillow. “Sure.”</p><p>Andrea hums a low, pleased sound and noses at Cloud’s skin gently. Brushing his lips against it. Waits until that brief, reflexive tension in Cloud fades before he parts his lips. Catching warm skin between his teeth.</p><p>A sweet, sharp little noise hitches in the back of Cloud’s nose. Skin rippling beneath Andrea’s touch. Beneath his lips, his tongue, his fingers. Savours the unique scent and taste of him for a long minute. Pulls away slowly with a parting kiss over tender flesh to eye his handiwork. The mark’s pretty against Cloud’s pale skin tone. Vibrant in a way different to his eyes.</p><p>Andrea rests his hands against Cloud’s back. Sliding them up along smooth, warm skin. Kneading against lean muscle and frowning a little.</p><p>“So tense, my dear.” Andrea murmurs, pressing a little harder to the tight knots he can feel gathered beneath his skin. God, poor boy must ache something fierce. Though perhaps his SOLDIER enhancements chase the worst of it away. Still, Andrea takes a quick glance at his phone, humming. “It’s not all that late yet. Would you let me give you a massage?”</p><p>“Uh. Sure...?”</p><p>Andrea kisses the back of the blond’s neck and shimmies back off bed. Cloud props himself up, twisting to watch, but Andrea gestures for him to wait as he slips away. Coming back with a bottle of sweet smelling oil. Coaxes Cloud to lie on his front a little closer to the centre of the bed. Gives Andrea plenty of room to straddle his thighs. Teases and prods at Cloud just a little as he warms the oil he pours into his hands. Waits until the other begrudgingly tucks a pillow comfortably between his folded arms and his head. Then he rests his oiled hands against his skin. Moving them up and out in slow, sweeping motions. Not much pressure, mostly just focused on spreading it out. Getting Cloud to relax again.</p><p>“I’ve got you, my darling. Just relax and breathe for me, hmm?” Andrea murmurs, a smile playing at the edge of his lips when he feels Cloud take a long, slow breath. “That’s it...”</p><p>Andrea pours a little more of the oil onto his hands before he sets to work. Starts at Cloud’s shoulders, where he’s found most of the worst ones. Cloud flinches a little when Andrea starts applying real pressure. Andrea tilts his head, easing up a touch.</p><p>“Too much?” He asks, with a little furrow. Cloud shifts beneath him and shakes his head.</p><p>“Nah. ‘s fine. Not a- <em>ngh</em>-” Cuts himself off with another flinch, but in the next moment Andrea feels him relax again carefully. “Not a bad thing.”</p><p>Andrea hums in understanding. “Alright. Still, you really are in rather rough shape, Cloud. When’s the last time someone took care of you?”</p><p>“Like this? Try never.” There’s a bit of a scoff underscoring Cloud’s voice and Andrea sighs. Doesn’t surprise him necessarily. In fact, in some ways it touches something deep inside Andrea. That Cloud lets him of all people get so close. To see him so...vulnerable.</p><p>Just lights a quietly, determined fire in his gut. To take care of Cloud in whatever ways he can. For however long the other’s willing to let him. A quiet emotion that pulses and drums inside his chest like the rain on the window. Like the distant rumbling thunder that makes the air tremble. It makes a rather pretty accompaniment to the quiet grunts, groans and sighs Cloud makes as Andrea works out the awful tension. Really feels like he’s working out twenty-three years of tension from beneath the blond’s skin.</p><p>He’s careful as he picks his way down Cloud’s back. Makes sure he avoids the slender scar that sits along his spine. Spends a bit of extra time working at the one over his heart. Admits silently to himself that it’s more for his sake than anything. To try and settle the sickly unease that still churns his gut when he looks at it. Thinks about it too long.</p><p>But Cloud’s pliant and still beneath his hands. Only shifting a little if Andrea hits a particularly bad spot. Otherwise he noticeably relaxes. The sight and feeling pulls a warm, contented smile onto Andrea’s face. Curls his hands against Cloud’s waist, thumbs pressing deep into the small of his back as the dancer leans forward. Curving along Cloud’s back and nuzzles at the back of his ear gently. Muttering silly, pointless little nothings that Cloud responds to with quiet noises and mumbled answers.</p><p>
  <em>Sweet boy...</em>
</p><p>Cloud’s practically a puddle in the sheets when Andrea finally stops. Arms and hands sore like after a good, but demanding work out. Well worth it to see the peaceful, easy serenity on Cloud’s face as Andrea brushes at his hair. Easing away all Cloud’s usual little tension and furrows.</p><p>God, just when Andrea’d thought he couldn’t be anymore beautiful...</p><p>The oils mostly absorbed into Cloud’s skin. One of the reasons Andrea loves the stuff personally. He gently prods at Cloud. Tugging and shifting until he rolls onto his back. A quiet mumbled little complaint before he settles. Andrea hums as he combs both his hands through Cloud’s thick, wild locks. Slowly dragging his fingers against the blond’s scalp. Those heavy lidded, lovely eyes blink open with visible effort. Don’t manage much more than half way. Andrea hums, brushing the back of one hand down Cloud’s cheek gently.</p><p>“That feel better?” He asks, a smile playing at the edge of his mouth as Cloud tips absently into the touch. Fans out his fingers to curl against the side of Cloud’s face properly as the other nods. A slow, sedate motion, eye fluttering a little as he blinks.</p><p>“Mm. Thanks.” The words come out slow. A slight slur beneath the rough edge. The threat of sleep Andrea can see crawling through his bright eyes. He smiles down at Cloud. Soft and impossibly fond. Feels a little like he’s worked out much of his own tensions.</p><p>“My pleasure.” He murmurs, leaning down to brush his lips against Cloud’s. Just a soft, feathering touch. Nothing more than surface level. But it feels so warm. So...</p><p>Right.</p><p>Andrea pulls back with no small amount of reluctance. Shuffling along to the edge of the bed. Cloud makes a soft, sweetly confused noise, fingers just catching against the hem of Andrea’s shirt. Andrea chuckles under his breath. Tugs Cloud’s hand up to his lips and kisses the back off it. Soft, but lingering.</p><p>“I’ll be just a minute. You need water after all that.” He murmurs, grinning at the little frown that hovers in the corners of Cloud’s lips. So stubborn. Andrea squeezes his hand gently before relinquishing his hold. Cloud hums at him and curls onto his side again, still facing the other. Andrea tucks the sheet up over him. Brushing the back of his fingers down the side of Cloud’s face gently. Watches his expression go lax again as sleep tugs at him.</p><p>God, he really is the most captivating soul Andrea’s ever seen.</p><p>Andrea presses a kiss to his temple and carefully pries himself off the bed. Padding over towards the door. Pauses to glance back. Helpless before the urge to have his eyes on Cloud as long, as often as possible. He knows he’s being ridiculous. Knows it’s probably been driving Cloud mad tonight. But the other’s been so incredibly, impossibly sweet. Indulging him at every turn. All his clinging and touching. His constant need to be close.</p><p>It’s rather unfair, how utterly full Andrea’s heart feels. Swelling to the point of breaking.</p><p>“Sleep well, my love.” He murmurs without thought. Mind catching up to the words half a heartbeat to late and something in Andrea seizes. Eyes going wide, fingers twitching against the doorframe</p><p>Cloud doesn’t shift. Not so much as a twitch. The sheets rising and falling with the low, even rhythm of sleep. Something plucks at a cord in Andrea’s heart. Not quite relief. Not quite disappointment. But rather something that swings between the two with neither rhyme nor rhythm. Burning cold as it echoes through him. Just a moment before it fades. A twist marring his lips as Andrea shakes his head at his own ridiculousness. Ducks out of the room properly and eases the door mostly closed behind him.</p><p>Andrea swings into the kitchen first to grab them both a glass of water for the night, before he slips away into the bathroom. The faintly humming light in the bathroom is painfully bright after the gentle shadows and lamplight of the bedroom. Andrea squeezes his eyes shut against it for a moment, blinking rapidly when he opens them again to clear the spots that flicker before them. He wanders to the sink and takes his time scrubbing his hands clean of the oil’s scent. Mind spinning absently.</p><p>That strange, not quite disappointment, but not quite <em>not</em> feeling lingering in his chest. He’s not sure why. And not knowing is what’s leading to such an edge of frustration storming inside him. An unpleasant feeling after everything else. Tonight has been a balm to Andrea’s soul. Soothing out aches from his previous days of worry that he hadn’t even really been conscious he was still carrying around. So he knows it's ridiculous that one little slip has him spiralling.</p><p>So Andrea pushes it away. As Cloud had said before, he doesn’t want to waste time on it. Not when Cloud’s just in the other room. The reminder’s enough to pull Andrea from his strange, distant melancholy. Tucks it away easily behind a wash of warmth. Shuts off the tap, dries his hands quickly and scurries back to the bedroom, only just remembering to flick off the light as he goes.</p><p>The single lamp he’d left on casts long, but soft shadows into the corners of the room. Curling gently against the slope of Cloud’s side beneath the covers. Dancing through his soft gold hair. Andrea makes himself hurry- <em>quietly</em>- to the bed before he can get caught up admiring the other again. Sleep is starting to creep up on him too after all.</p><p>It’s a surprise that Cloud doesn’t stir when Andrea eases beneath the covers to join him. Something about the fact Cloud’s so...relaxed presses at something tender in Andrea. Floods him through with a gentle, almost overwhelming warmth. Still, he’s careful as he shuffles up against the other again. Gentle and slow as he drapes an arm over Cloud’s side. Knows well by now how quick Cloud can snap to alertness.</p><p>But it doesn’t happen. Sure, Cloud shifts a little. A muted mumble tumbling breathily from his lips. But in the next moment a gentle, firm warmth settles against his hand. Cloud’s he realizes as slim digits wind through his. Tugging at him just a little as Cloud presses back. The lines of his body fitting to Andrea’s easily.</p><p>Perfectly.</p><p>With a long, deeply content sigh. Andrea closes his eyes. A smile on his lips and it lingers there as he follows Cloud down into the blissful, peaceful shadows of sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Ties That Bind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And round two ding ding ding. Lol. Okay but for cereal, do be careful because Cloud has a lil bit of a panic when Andi brings up the tie. So skip a bit if that's gonna stress you out lovelies! Other than that...enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sometime in the night, Cloud turned towards him. Their legs thoroughly tangled together. Cloud’s head tucked mostly under his chin. The warm, slightly damp fall of his breath pleasant and tingling against the skin of Andrea’s collarbone.</p><p>Andrea’s tired still. A little sore, arm threatening to fall asleep from where it's still cradled under his head. His mouth feels a little too dry, eyes stinging a touch. Early warning that he perhaps hadn’t gotten as much sleep as he ought to.</p><p>It’s the best he’s felt waking up in weeks now. Because all those little annoyances and aches are all but immediately washed away by the reality of Cloud tucked against him. Safe and peaceful. Tucked up close against the dancer, arm still draped over that lean waist. Gentle warmth curling around both of them like a second blanket.</p><p>It’s still early, though thankfully not as early as they’ve found themselves up at times. The soft glow of sunshine can be seen outside the window. For a brief moment Andrea has a spark of worry flickering in him, mind racing- <em>Friday, class, time-</em> before he remembers Narisa told him to fuck off for the weekend.</p><p>Planet bless the Ice Queen.</p><p>Andrea lets out a long sigh of relief. The sudden build of tension bleeding out quickly. Closes his eyes again and ducks down to nuzzle against Cloud’s soft, messy hair. Brushing his lips against his forehead. Smiling at the tiny sound Cloud makes as he shifts. Andrea tilts his head. Slowly. Trying to catch a glimpse of Cloud’s lovely face.</p><p>Finds him asleep still. Breathing quiet and even. But Andrea’s heart lurches. Something painful catching in his chest when he spots the faint glimmer against Cloud’s skin. Tear tracks, silvery and still faintly tacky against Cloud’s warm skin when Andrea brushes a thumb over one.</p><p>“Cloud...?” Andrea murmurs, concern knitting tight into his chest. Did he have nightmare? Or...</p><p>Before Andrea can ponder further, Cloud stirs. A sleepy grumble in the back of his throat. That sweet wrinkle of his nose he always gets before those beautiful eyes slip open. A brief moment where they're worryingly void of light. Of life. But the next moment the look- or lack of- is gone as Cloud pulls back a little. Gaze turning up to the dancer’s.</p><p>“Hey, ‘morning.”</p><p>“Good morning, beautiful. Did you sleep okay?” Andrea murmurs in reply, a wane smile settling warm across his expression. Cloud hums and nods, reaching up to rub at his eyes. A frown tugs at the edge of his lips when he finds the faint trails on his cheek. Shifts back and glowers at his hand.</p><p>“The hell?” Confusion bright in eyes as he mumbles, scrubbing at his skin roughly. Andrea catches his hand and tugs it away. Replaces it with his thumb and far more delicate touch.</p><p>“Nightmare?” He asks, worry nestled between his eyes as he watches Cloud’s closely. But Cloud just shakes his head. Andrea’s heart gives a tiny flip in his chest when he feels Cloud’s fingers curl against his chest absently.</p><p>“No. Nothing like that.” There’s something quietly unnerved hovering in Cloud’s eyes. Andrea drops his hand, curling it over Cloud’s and rubbing at it slowly. Cloud bites at the edge of his lips, gives his head a small shake. “Sorry-”</p><p>Andrea shakes his head quickly. Leaning to press his lips to Cloud’s forehead. “I just wanted to make sure you’re alright.”</p><p>“’m fine.” Cloud says, a sigh in his voice. A touch of annoyance, but Andrea thinks it’s more to do with the situation than anything. The dancer hums and nuzzles at Cloud’s hairline gently. “You sleep okay?”</p><p>“Best I’ve had in a while.” Andrea replies evenly. Doesn’t like the way Cloud’s avoiding his gaze and tugs just a little at their joined hands. Smiles when it finally coaxes those lovely eyes back to his and meets them with a smile. A brief rush of warmth when they flicker down to his mouth. Smile taking a sharp teasing edge. “Wonder why that is...?”</p><p>Cloud huffs at him, tugging his hand free of Andrea’s. “’Cuz you’re a sap.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles under his breath. An easy shrug of his shoulders. But whatever smart reply he may have given gets lost beneath a spark of low burning heat. Simmering in his gut as Cloud’s mouth presses firm against his. Not so much of a hint of his usual hesitation. Slim hand curling against his jaw.</p><p>God, he loves it when Cloud gets like this. Noticed that the blond’s usual lingering inhibitions seem lesser in the morning. Like he’s still caught up in that haze of sleep. It’s sweet.</p><p>“You know...” He mumbles as Cloud drifts back just a touch. Lips still brushing as he speaks, “If this is what being a sap gets me, I’m not seeing much of a downside.”</p><p>“Shut up.” Cloud replies, voice a low, heated rumble. A groan echoing in Andrea’s chest as Cloud presses against him. Andrea lets him. Rolls easily onto his back as Cloud’s weight settles against him. Slides his hands down to curl against Cloud’s waist. Clutches at the other firmly and parts his lips beneath the faintly tentative press of Cloud’s tongue.</p><p>Intoxicating. It’s the only way Andrea can think to describe the sensation of Cloud against him. The damp heat of his mouth. The slide of his tongue against his as the kiss deepens. A low, delicious noise slipping from Cloud, thunders gently in his ears.</p><p><em>Fuck</em>... Andrea thinks, heat in his gut sparking. Trickling down as Cloud curls further over him. <em>Maybe I’ll have to pick Narisa up a new plant for her office</em>.</p><p>A quiet, sharp gasp escapes his nose as Cloud’s hands settle on his chest. Digging pleasantly into muscle. The faint rasp of calloused fingers sparking electricity through his veins. Flashes brighter when Cloud’s nails drag briefly against his skin.</p><p><em>A really, </em><strong>really</strong>,<em> nice plant-</em></p><p>Just as Andrea’s toying with the idea of dragging Cloud fully atop him, the blond pulls back with a quiet gasp. A confused little grunt escapes Andrea, hands clutching at the other’s waist. Cloud’s name escapes him in a quiet breath as the other leans to lean their foreheads together. Unashamed to say there’s more than a touch of a whine to the sound. There’s something flickering just behind his expression. A touch of heated apology that Andrea recognizes but doesn’t quite understand.</p><p>He feels Cloud’s brow furrow against his briefly. Eyes bright and lovely. Lidded as he gazes down at the dancer. Voice low as he speaks.</p><p>“You got time for food before you go?”</p><p>“Mm? Oh-” Andrea blinks, a touch of laughter in his voice when he realizes why Cloud had stopped. “Actually I’ve got the weekend off.”</p><p>“Really?” Cloud’s eyes flash a little wider. An emotion sparking in their bright depths that makes warmth well through Andrea’s heart. “Well...still. You hungry?”</p><p>Andrea isn’t really. At least, not for much that isn’t the beautiful soul hovering over him. Bare chested and a gorgeous touch of color to the sharp lines of his cheeks. But Andrea nods and smiles. “Sounds good, lovely.”</p><p>He doesn’t say that a lot of his decision comes from the fact Cloud feels far, <em>far</em> to thin between his hands. A pinprick of worry sharp against his heart. That maybe it’s not just the time and distance between the last time he held him. Andrea chokes it back a little. Knows that the jobs Cloud’s running for Shinra take so, so much from him. Andrea’s already promised himself he’d look after the other. And that’s something he intends to keep.</p><p>Cloud nods, sweetly serious as he levers himself up. Andrea mourns the loss of his warmth a moment before he follows. Ponders grabbing a pair of lounge pants and decides against it. The concern hovering behind his heart’s done a decent enough job killing his stirring arousal.</p><p>Besides, Andrea can admit he’s more than a touch hopeful they’ll get a chance to continue afterwards.</p><p>Breakfast ends up being a rather simple, but still hearty and delicious affair. Using up bits and pieces of things Andrea’s got scattered about. The end result is a surprisingly coherent conglomerate of bacon, eggs, bagels and various fruits for a salad. Cloud’s still perhaps a touch too light an eater for Andrea’s liking. But he still makes something of an effort and that at least settles some of the hovering worry.</p><p>Clean up’s near as quick as throwing everything together’d been. Convenient certainly, because Andrea doesn’t know how long he gets to enjoy Cloud being around. So the less time wasted on such things the better.</p><p>He slides up behind the blond just as he drapes the dishtowel back over the oven handle to dry. Curls his arms around Cloud’s waist and tucks his chin over one sharp shoulder. Meets Cloud’s curious side glance with a smile.</p><p>“So my dear, how long do I have the pleasure of your company today?”</p><p>“Told Tifa I’d pick up the kids this afternoon. But that’s not till after three so...” Cloud replies, trailing off with a little shrug. Andrea's smile brightens reflexively. “I got a while to kill.”</p><p>“Lucky me.” Andrea replies with a murmur. Can’t quite help himself ducking forward. Pressing his lips to the gentle throb of Cloud’s pulse in his neck. Eyes liding with pleasure when he feels it kick, just a touch. The quiet vibration of a hum rippling through Cloud’s throat. Andrea’s grip on him tightens just a touch as the dancer trails his lips up. Following the lovely column of Cloud’s neck to the line of his jaw. Nuzzling against warm skin when Cloud’s head tilts just enough to give Andrea little more space. Up and back till he can catch the end of his ear delicately between his teeth. Smiles a little wider when he catches the faintest hitch of Cloud’s breath.</p><p>“You know something, Cloud...?”</p><p>“Mm?”</p><p>“I really would like to show you that new chair of mine.”</p><p>The confused little grunt Cloud makes falls quickly away into quiet exasperation. An indistinct mumble that sounds an awful lot like one of Cloud’s usual ‘<em>Seriously?</em>’. Andrea hums in confirmation either way.</p><p>In truth, Andrea can admit there’s a not insignificant part of him that would usually be tempted just to keep Cloud right here. To see how much the blond would let him get away with where they are. But the idea of Cloud atop his newest acquisition has been hovering around in his head since he first laid eyes on the thing. The opportunity now is simply too sweet to pass up.</p><p>Apparently Cloud’s still in his more or less indulging mood because he lets Andrea tow him back into the bedroom easily enough. The dancer settles in, reclining comfortably and dragging Cloud on after him. Settling the blond between his legs and tugs at him till Cloud begrudgingly leans back. Not exactly what he’d had in mind, perhaps, but for now he’s happy just to get to keep Cloud close.</p><p>“See? Rather lovely isn’t it?” Andrea says, slipping his arms beneath Cloud’s, curling them around his chest. Cloud shifts a little, head resting back carefully on Andrea’s shoulder.</p><p>“Pretty sure I’m more on you than it.”</p><p>“Hmm. True.” Andrea replies, grinning to himself as he drags Cloud closer still. “Is that a complaint?”</p><p>“Don’t be an idiot.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles to himself. Silently admits it’s probably a little too late for that. Especially when it comes to Cloud. Turns his head to nose at the edge of Cloud’s ear. Shifts his hands to lay them flat against the planes of his body. Traces them slow against the sharp and smooth angles. Loves the feeling of Cloud beneath his hands. Always has.</p><p>Loves the way Cloud reacts to touch even more. Especially as Andrea curls a hand up, brushing a thumb slowly across Cloud’s chest. Catches that sweet, stifled noise hitching in the back of his throat. Curls around Cloud further to watch those lovely eyes go lidded. To see him catch his lower lip between his teeth.</p><p>“You’re so beautiful.” Andrea murmurs against Cloud’s cheek. Grins against faintly flushed skin when he feels a hint of a pleased shiver trip through Cloud. Cloud’s eyes dart toward him and Andrea feels a rush of quiet heat at the echo of it he can see inside them. Sees a flicker of that surreal light before Cloud turns as Andrea does. Catching those pretty lips with his.</p><p>Cloud’s hand reaches, curling against the side of Andrea’s neck. Clutching at him as they kiss and Andrea drags his down in a light rake of nails. Nipping at Cloud’s lip when the other groans against him. Feels his spine arch slightly to press into the touch.</p><p>“You know sweetheart. I imagine you’d be more comfortable out of these.” Andrea says, plucking absently at the waistband of his sweats on Cloud’s hips. Those pretty eyes roll, that sweet, breathy edge of a laugh curling like starlight through Andrea’s veins. A soft, distant warmth that makes his smile shift. Soften, yet brighten too.</p><p>“’s that your excuse?” Cloud mumbles, but he shifts before the dancer. Weight pressing back into him a touch more as Cloud lifts his hips. Andrea takes the silent invitation and hooks his fingers into the well worn material. Tugs it down Cloud’s hips and down his thighs. Cloud shifts to help pull his legs free and Andrea drops them to a heap off the side.</p><p>Cloud twists around in the space between his legs. An unsurprisingly deft little manoeuvre as he shifts to face the dancer. Hands falling to brace against the back of the chair just above Andrea’s shoulders. A spark in the depths of his bright eyes</p><p>Oh. Andrea knows that look. He knows it very well. But hell if it doesn’t still feel like it’s sending a lance of pure fire straight through Andrea’s gut. Drags a slow grin onto his face. He’s felt those eyes on him near all morning after all. Still the headiest damn thing on the Planet. If only because it’s coming from Cloud.</p><p>“I’d hardly say I need an excuse to want to admire you, my darling.” Andrea replies, reaching up to run his hands along Cloud’s chest. “But I can give you a few, if you like.”</p><p>“Not what I meant, smartass.” Cloud grumbles at him. Andrea laughs, grin widening. Unashamed to admit he has a little too much fun teasing him. But really, is it his fault Cloud has the most adorably, petulant pout?</p><p>Evidently Cloud’s had enough of his prattling. Because the next moment Andrea finds his smile caught by Cloud’s lips pressing firm to his. Heat and a hint of teeth and tongue. Groans and drags Cloud down closer. Trapping him tight between his knees. Can’t say he minds getting told off in this fashion either...</p><p>Andrea sinks a hand into Cloud’s hair. Fingers winding tight as he pulls. Sudden and sharp to tip his head back. Cloud huffs, a whine trailing the end of the noise as Andrea presses his lips to the hollow of Cloud’s throat. Feels his hips jerk forward as he drags his tongue up to the underside of the blond’s jaw in a slow, heated slide.</p><p>“Shit. Andrea-”</p><p>Andrea nips at him. Not enough to mark, but enough to sting certainly. Grins when he feels Cloud’s fingers tighten against his shoulders. Arches his spine a little. Something of an apology he supposes, feeling Cloud’s hips rock tentatively against the hard line of his stomach. Gentles his hand in Cloud’s hair. Rubbing as his scalp with tender fingers. Indulges Cloud for being so sweet and doing the same for him for ages now.</p><p>But even so Andrea’s mind is abuzz. Ideas that’ve been floating around in the back of it even since his day out with Claude. Brought into bright, vivid life with Cloud in his arms. So he slips his hands down. Curling them against Cloud’s hips and pushes him back a touch.</p><p>“Sit back a moment.”</p><p>Cloud actually growls at him. The sound low and irate in the back of his throat. Lean, strong fingers clutching at Andrea in a way that skirts the edge of too tight. Andrea hums, rubbing his thumbs in placating circles against Cloud’s sharp hips. “Come on lovely.”</p><p>Cloud frowns at him, but sits back on his heels slowly. Andrea’s grins, leaning forward to kiss Cloud’s cheek before he pries himself out of the seat. Hurries over to his closet. It’s the work of a moment to dig through and find the little chest he keeps. It’s not buried deep, not that long since he’d pulled it out to store away his new acquisitions after all.</p><p>“What’s that?” Cloud asks when Andrea heads back towards him. He’s turned around in the chaise to watch him. One leg folded under him, hands gripping his ankle. His hair sweetly tousled from sleep and Andrea’s pawing earlier. His skin tone as pretty as ever against the violet hue. Sends a fresh rush of warm tingling all through the dancer. Still, he pulls on a sly smile as he rattles the box gently.</p><p>“Why it’s where I keep all my treasures, my dear. I even found a few new ones, just for us. Would you like to see them?”</p><p>Cloud’s expression flickers and his eyes flare. Something passing through them. Andrea wonders if he was hit by that same strange rush he was. The one that always seems to touch him when he calls something ‘theirs’. Wonders if that feeling is ever going to fade.</p><p>Andrea shakes himself from his ridiculous sappy musings. Reaches out and presses the tips of his fingers to Cloud’s chest. Pressing lightly he tilts his head. A smile on his face and an arch to his brow.</p><p>“Lie back. I want you comfortable.”</p><p>The blond blinks up at him. Something curious and just a touch skeptical on his face before he sinks down. Reclining against the seat and oh. Yes. There was the image his mind all too happily conjured up when he’d first laid eyes on it the other day. The heat in his gut sparks, flaring bright as Andrea hums, lips curling upward. Sharp, but subtle.</p><p>“Perfection.” Andrea rumbles, a low chuckle under his breath as that endearing touch of color in Cloud’s cheeks darkens. Eyes darting away from Andrea, a silly little put upon furrow between them. God he adores this boy.</p><p>Andrea stoops. Flicking the latch on the chest open as he sets it on the ground besides the chair. Shifts to rest a knee between Cloud’s knees. Smiling when the other spreads them so Andrea has enough room to settle comfortably. Cloud reaches for him and Andrea catches his hands. Linking their fingers and pressing Cloud’s back to the seat beside his head. Keeping a close eye Cloud’s expression closely, watching.</p><p>There it is. That briefest spark of hesitance before Cloud lets out a soft breath. Something in him giving, relaxing as he goes still beneath Andrea’s touch. The curl of his fingers relaxing into something far more gentle. Andrea’s smile flickers, softens. The sight just adds further fuel to the fires of the idea that’s been brewing inside Andrea for a good while now. A pleased little rumble in his chest as he brushes at Cloud’s skin. Thumb to the flicker of his pulse.</p><p>“Cloud?” He says, voice low and soft as he pulls his hands away. Heat sparking bright through his veins when Cloud leaves his where they are even as the dancer twists. Dips down to riffle through the chest.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>With a grin Andrea finds what he was searching for. Tugs the long, soft length of gold velvet from the top of the chest. Twines it through his fingers, stroking the soft material. Glances up at Cloud to find the other watching him.</p><p>“What are your thoughts on me binding your wrists?”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes flash, wide as he blinks. Gaze flickering from Andrea’s to the tie.</p><p>“I-” Something beneath Cloud’s gaze fractures. Sudden and sharp and any relaxation he may have had vanishes between one breath- one heartbeat- and the next. Horrifyingly, he shrinks back, eyes wide. Chest rising and falling with suddenly too rough, too quick breaths. He shakes his head though the motion is a touch listless. A haze bleeding into his bright eyes that Andrea hasn’t seen there for what feels like ages now. God, it’s not something he’s missed. “No. I-I don’t-”</p><p>“Alright. Alright, shh. I won’t. I won’t, I promise.” Andrea drops the tie immediately. Out of sight and mind even if Andrea can feel his insides squirm. A quiet, awful horror bleeding through him at the strange, visceral reaction Cloud had to the idea. His first instinct of course is to reach out. To prove to Cloud he’s no intention of hurting him. But with the way the blond had shrunk away from him just a moment ago, Andrea bites back the urge with no small amount of effort. Instead he settles back against his heels, careful not to loom over Cloud. Carefully raises his hand, trying not to flinch himself the way Cloud’s eyes dart to them. “Do we need to stop?”</p><p>Cloud’s breath shudders, still edging on ragged. Expression twisting before he squeezes his eyes shut.</p><p>“No.” He says, tense even as he shakes his head. “No, ‘m sorry. Just-”</p><p>“Need a minute?” Andrea asks softly. Doesn’t know if it’s relief that settles in his chest when Cloud manages a shaky nod. “Of course Cloud. As long as you need."</p><p>There’s an edge of relief to the shaky sigh Cloud gives as he reaches up, combing a trembling hand through his hair. A self soothing gesture that has Andrea’s heart cracking sharply, fingers twitching as he works himself up to ask. “Would it be alright if I touched you...?”</p><p>Cloud nods again. Steadier this time. More certain. But Andrea’s still careful. He rests a hand over Cloud’s heart and reaches up to gently stroke his jaw with the other. Murmurs quiet, soothing little nothings until Cloud seems to calm a little, the haze in his eyes vanishing.</p><p>When he looks at Andrea again, the look on his face is so uncertain it twists through Andrea’s insides with all the tenderness of a knife. Still, the dancer conjures a smile. Cups his cheek in his palm tenderly.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>“W-what...?” The uncertainty in Cloud twists. Sharpens into something confused.</p><p>“For being honest and telling me your limits. I know it can be hard." "I’m so proud of you.”</p><p>“For what?” Cloud scoffs. Something dark hovering at the back of his gaze. “Getting bent out of shape over something so stupid-”</p><p>“It is <em>not</em> stupid.” Andrea cuts him off immediately. He’s not going to stand for Cloud's self-deprecating right now. Not about this. “There’s nothing wrong with having limits or things you’re not okay with with, Cloud.”</p><p>Cloud’s shoulders hitch. Tense and defensive. And it isn’t that Andrea doesn’t get it. He does. That fear to be seen as weak or lesser. Vulnerable. So Andrea takes a careful breath through his nose. Softens and traces a thumb over the rough textured skin on Cloud’s chest. Cloud won’t look at him, but Andrea still watches him close as he speaks.</p><p>“I don’t like being blindfolded or gagged. Do you find that stupid?”</p><p>Cloud flinches. Attention jerking to Andrea immediately. Eyes wide for a moment before he shakes his head. The motion firm as a small furrow picks itself out across his brow. That sweet, candle bright flicker of concern in his eyes.</p><p>“No.” Cloud manages after a moment. Andrea pulls on a tender smile.</p><p>“See what I mean?”</p><p>Cloud’s still quiet, still a little tense. But a lot of the uncertainty slowly bleeds away from him. Easing out the tense lines hovering at his shoulders and all through his face. Andrea trails his fingers down Cloud’s face and leans back a little. Settles his hands into light fists against his thighs.</p><p>“I’ve held your wrists down before. Has it always upset you?” Andrea asks, something sharp and worried pricking deep inside him. He’s always watched, always been careful. Even that very first night they ever spent together. And he hadn’t <em>seen</em> anything approaching that level of distress or discomfort before. But he also knows Cloud’s frustratingly good at hiding things. He should’ve been more cautious-</p><p>Before Andrea’s thoughts can spiral further, Cloud’s shaking his head. The furrow between his eyes taking a softer tilt.</p><p>“No. No that’s. Different. It’s...” Cloud’s expression sharpens a moment. Twisting. A shadow like uncertainty curling through the shadows of his face. Like he’s trying to puzzle out what he means as he says it. “That’s you. Not-”</p><p>Ah. It doesn’t make the sting any less, but Andrea thinks he gets it. At least in part. Human touch is something Cloud can deal with. Possibly because he knows he could overpower anyone if he needed to get free. But the impersonal nature of something like a tie or whatever else is what rattles him.</p><p>Andrea pushes back the distant horror again. The one that wants to rise up, painful and heartbreaking at the thought. Twists like thorns through his insides at the idea of Cloud being trapped in any capacity.</p><p>Still, Andrea can admit there’s a certain level of relief in him too. That he hasn’t pushed past Cloud’s limits with his actions in the past. God, the idea alone makes something faintly nauseous flicker in him. Cloud’s been through enough already. And Andrea wants...</p><p>He wants Cloud to feel safe with him. Wants him to be...</p><p>Happy.</p><p>Andrea’s wanders off into his own head so deep that the brush against his arm almost makes him jump. Attention snapping back to Cloud’s face with clarity. Sees that tight little knot between his eyes. The cautious, painful frown dragging at the corners of his lips and Andrea <em>aches</em> at Cloud’s quiet voice.</p><p>“Sorry. I screwed things up, didn’t I?”</p><p>“Of course not, Cloud.” Andrea catches Cloud’s hand before the other can pull away and squeezes it tight. Drags it up and close to kiss the back of it gently. “You told me when you needed things to stop. That’s the exact opposite of a ‘screw up’ my darling.”</p><p>Cloud’s fingers tighten against his for a moment. That painful uncertainty flickering in his eyes. But finally he lets out the edge of a sigh. “So...we don’t. I mean. We can keep...?”</p><p>“Of course. That was hardly the only thing I planned for you after all.” Andrea smiles, reaching up to twirl one of Cloud’s longer spikes between his fingers. Meeting those beautiful eyes seriously. “But only if you’re comfortable moving forward.”</p><p>“Yeah. Yeah I’m...” Cloud’s expression flickers a moment more before it smooths. Settles into something calm and familiar. “I’m good.”</p><p>The buzzing in Andrea settles in turn. Shifts his whole being down into something gentler. Touched and relieved. “Can I kiss you, lovely?”</p><p>Cloud’s answer comes in the form of a tug at Andrea’s hand. Pulling him close. Andrea catches his jaw in hand and tilts his face to catch his lips tenderly. Hums as Cloud presses back. Slipping his hand free from Andrea’s only to curl it slowly against the curve of his neck. Andrea makes a low noise, easing his lips over and against Cloud’s. Savouring every moment. Every heartbeat before they finally drift. Cloud’s eyes flutter. Something flickering in the back of them before he speaks. Voice quiet in the small, warm space between their lips.</p><p>“Uh...”</p><p>“Mmm?”</p><p>“You said. Um. Plans?”</p><p>“Curious are we?” Andrea says, unable to help the grin that crawls across his face. Tips his head and brushes lightly at Cloud’s hair. “Hmm. How about I tell you what I had in mind and you tell me what you think. Sound fair?”</p><p>“’Kay.”</p><p>Ah. There’s that beautiful spark in those eyes again. Intent and lively. Gorgeous. So much more the Cloud Andrea knows. Settles something deep down inside him. Eases the remnants of his own hesitation out again so he can settle his hands against Cloud’s chest comfortably.</p><p>“Well, let’s say you gave me an idea the other day.”</p><p>“Me?” Cloud sounds both skeptical and stunned by that. Andrea chuckles and nods. Circling a fingertip against Cloud’s sternum slowly.</p><p>“Mmm hmm. And while I was out on a playdate with Claude I found a few fun toys to facilitate it.”</p><p>“And ‘it’ is...?” Cloud asks, though not with as much hesitation as Andrea admits he expected. Plucks at something inside Andrea. Something wondering and warm. Wonders if Cloud even realizes the quiet, inherent trust in that.</p><p>Andrea’s smile twists into something a touch sharper. Drags his finger up from Cloud’s chest along his neck. Angling his chin up slightly.</p><p>“I told you before, Cloud. I had to miss out on hearing you all too often the last while. And I’m sure you remember what I told you in Kalm.” Cloud’s eyes spark. A flare of intent light as that pretty mouth parts. Something startled and heated. Color rising along the sharp angles of his cheeks. “Hmm, I thought so.”</p><p>Cloud’s expression flickers, a faintly considering furrow on his brow. “Then...the rope was-?”</p><p>“Just an idea.” Andrea replies quick and even. Rubbing a thumb along Cloud’s jawline gently. Leans just a little further over the blond. Eyes going a touch lidded as he watches the other’s face closely “All I really want, Cloud, is to drown you in pleasure. So you can’t keep that gorgeous voice of yours hidden.”</p><p>The Mako in Cloud’s eyes flashes. Bright and burning as the breath catches in his chest. The faintest shudder rippling through him. It echoes through Andrea’s nerves even as he shifts his grip. Curling his hand against Cloud’s chin. Pressing his thumb to his lower lip and tugging just a little.</p><p>“What do you think, beautiful? Would you like that...?”</p><p>“Yeah...” The word’s barely a breath. A murmur against the tip of his thumb. The heat in Cloud’s gaze sparking against the rising heat in Andrea. The dancer leans in to kiss him. Can’t seem to help himself. Catches Cloud’s hands and slides their fingers together. Smiling into the others mouth when he feels Cloud squeezing back.</p><p>“So, tying’s a no-go. But I just had a thought.” Andrea murmurs, pulling back enough to watch Cloud’s face. “What if you held it instead and tried not to drop it?”</p><p>“Why?” Again, Cloud sounds more curious than cautious. Andrea bites the edge of his lip and stares into those surreal eyes.</p><p>“Because I <em>really</em> like watching you lose control.” He replies in a heated murmur. The image of the alley in Kalm flickering to life in the back of his mind. That surge of energy. The crack in the wall. Cloud dragging him to his feet. All of it drips down his spine. Pooling like liquid fire in his gut. His cock stirring with more than a little interest within his briefs. Bites a little hard at his lip to pull his focus back to the present. To ease the racing heat as he continues. “And I’m curious to see what it’d take.”</p><p>As he speaks Andrea trails his other hand down. Dragging it along Cloud’s chest, past his stomach to his hips. Slips a finger beneath the band and tugs it teasingly. Grins when Cloud’s skin ripples beneath the touch.</p><p>“So what do you think, Cloud? You game?”</p><p>“Think I could do that.” Cloud replies, something intense flickering just at the edge of his expression. Andrea grins.</p><p>“Oh I know you can, lovely. Here.” Andrea bends and reaches down off the side of the chaise and pulls up the velvet tie. Holds it out for Cloud to take. The blond slides it carefully between his fingers. A curious little furrow between his eyes before they flicker up to Andrea.</p><p>“How’d you want me to....?”</p><p>“Whatever’s comfortable for you.” Andrea replies with a smile, running his hands along corded thighs. Fingertips dipping beneath the hems of Cloud’s boxers. Cloud sighs through his nose, muscles twitching faintly when Andrea sweeps against the sweetly sensitive skin along the inside of his thighs. As Cloud ponders, something else trickles into Andrea’s mind and he taps at Cloud’s leg to get his attention. “Since your hands are going to be otherwise occupied my dear, I think it’s past time we invested in a safeword.”</p><p>Cloud blinks at him, uncomprehending. “A what?”</p><p>“A verbal cue to call things to a halt if needs be.” Cloud frowns a little and Andrea chews over how to explain it. It clicks when he calls Cloud’s background to mind. “Like a code. Easy to remember in the heat of the moment.”</p><p>Realization passes bright behind Cloud’s gaze as he nods. “Oh.” Then he frowns a little, “So it’s...just a word?”</p><p>Andrea hums. “Mm more or less. Generally you want something that isn’t usually going to come up. Something that’ll stand out. Like pineapple.”</p><p>Cloud snorts the edge of a laugh at that, but still seems a little unsure. Another idea sparks in Andrea’s mind, “Or, we could use a color system. A scale of sorts. A common one is green for good, yellow for slow down, red for stop. That kind of thing. Would that be easier?”</p><p>“I. Yeah. That one sounds good.” “So green’s all clear. Yellow’s assess. Red’s full stop.” Andrea smiles and nods. He’d thought that’d settle quickly in the military minded young man.</p><p>“Exactly. I’ll check in periodically as we go. But you can also use any of them as you need. Alright?”</p><p>Cloud nods, firm and Andrea leans in to kiss him again. Pleased and warm, even as he gets both hands curled around Cloud’s waistband, Tugging the material further down his hips.</p><p>“Color?” He murmurs right against Cloud’s mouth. Watched understanding flicker through them even as the blond shifts before him. Hips lifting to give Andrea room to hook them down past the curve of his ass.</p><p>“Green.” He says, with only a <em>slight</em> roll of his eyes.</p><p>“Very good.” Andrea replies with a smile, kissing him again, deeper this time as he slides his boxers fully off and drops them to the side. Cloud arches a little more beneath him. A heady press of skin to heated skin that makes a low groan echo through Andrea’s chest. Hands falling to rest against Cloud’s hips. Cradling sharp bone in his palms as they drift apart. Blinks when he realizes Cloud’s hooked the tie around, behind his back and the chaise. The gold color bright against his skin when the ends sit beside his hips. Andrea hums, sitting back against his heels so he can take in the whole lovely picture Cloud makes. “Look at you...”</p><p>Cloud’s got his right leg bent up, resting easily against the chaise’s arm to give Andrea space to hover. The other’s stretched out mostly, ankle draped over the edge. All his lean, long lines relaxed. A pretty touch of color to his face. After their brief hiccup earlier, Cloud’s erection had largely died away, But Andrea can see it's started to stir again even as he watches.</p><p>“You’re beautiful, you know that?”</p><p>“You just gonna stare all day?”</p><p>“Oh I would, happily.” Andrea says, perfectly sincere. A grin crawling onto his face as Cloud rolls those pretty eyes at him, “But I’ve a funny feeling you’d object to that.”</p><p>“You think?” Cloud deadpans, a highly unimpressed look blanking his expression. Andrea laughs, but relents. Knows he’s been teasing the other. And frankly the flickering, rising heat's starting to get to him too. He dips down along the side of the chair to lift the small chest up onto the seat with them. Pops open the lid and he can feel Cloud watching, curious as he digs through it a moment.</p><p>A half grin on his face Andrea finds one of the things he’d picked up as he pulls out the bottle of lube. He sets the bottle aside and holds up the small package. “Ever used one of these before?”</p><p>Cloud blinks at it, and Andrea sees the moment he registers what it is. An endearing flush of spreads even as he rolls his eyes and groans.</p><p>“<em>Seriously</em>?”</p><p>Andrea chuckles. “Entirely. I told you it’s your color, sweetheart.” Cloud sighs at him, reaching up to rub the bridge of his nose. Andrea leans a little further over him, “Are you protesting the idea or the color?”</p><p>“What do you think?” Cloud mutters, stubbornly not meeting Andrea’s gaze.</p><p>“I think I’d like a yes or a no, if you please. You up for it?”</p><p>“...Okay.”</p><p>“Excellent.” Andrea grins, quite happy to fish the royal purple cockring from it’s package and tossing the remains to be dealt with later. He pours a little lube onto his finger. Sweeps it along the inside of the ring evenly before sliding it down Cloud’s half hard length. Settles it snug against the base. Cloud makes a quiet noise and Andrea glances up at him.</p><p>“Comfortable? Not too tight?”</p><p>“Mm mm. ‘s weird, but it’s fine.”</p><p>Andrea hums, trailing a finger along the underside vein. Smiling a little when Cloud’s stomach twitches. At the tiny noise he makes. God, it truly is unfair for anyone to look so pretty in purple. And <em>on</em> purple, Andrea thinks, trailing his gaze up to Cloud’s face again. Catches the other watching him, lips gently parted and those bright eyes vibrant against the deep violet material of the chaise.</p><p>Andrea’s not sure he has the words, to describe everything that rushes through him at the sight.</p><p>“God, what you do to me Cloud Strife.” He murmurs, curling his hands briefly against Cloud’s hips before gliding them up to his waist. Catches Cloud’s lips tightly as he leans in, humming against him when he feels Cloud’s hands curl against his arms, holding Andrea close in turn. Heat blooms between them. Sweet and rising quickly as Andrea gently pries Cloud’s willing lips open with his own. Cloud makes a sweet, soft noise. Arches against him as Andrea glides their tongues together.</p><p>It’s all too easy to forget himself. All too easy to lose himself in the sensation of Cloud against him. Clutches him close and basks in the familiar heat and the lines of Cloud’s body against his. Spirals further and further into the rising pool of desire building in his gut. Forcibly drags himself back in hand because Andrea’d been quite serious when he’d said he had plans. Can feel the desire sparking bright through his nerves. Enough that he pulls back, smiling at the irate little grumble Cloud makes.</p><p>“I’ve got one more surprise for today.” Andrea murmurs, easing back so he doesn’t succumb to the temptation to just kiss the other senseless, plans and desires be damned.</p><p>“’course you do.” Cloud mumbles, a quiet huff and a gentle roll of his eyes as he sinks back against the chair again. Andrea chuckles fondly, settling back against his heel to pry open his chest again.</p><p>“Now, feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m also guessing you’ve never used one of these before.”</p><p>From inside the chest, Andrea draws out the first of the new toys he’d picked out for them. One he admits being quite excited about. Offers it to Cloud when he catches the confused light in his eyes. Cloud takes it with only a heartbeat of hesitation. Tracing a thumb along the soft, ridged black surface. Fingers toying with the long, thin bars curling in opposite directions along the base of it.</p><p>Andrea knows the thought is ridiculous, especially in the moment. But god does Cloud have beautiful hands. Elegant and strong. So much more than their appearance suggests.</p><p>Cloud’s two-toned eyes finally flicker back up to the dancer’s.</p><p>“It’s...not a dildo, is it.” Cloud says, a touch cautiously. Less a question than statement, but Andrea has to bite back a grin at the way the color in his cheeks darkens just a touch. God this boy is too much for his heart sometimes. Andrea tucks away the swell of fondness to answer Cloud.</p><p>“No. But it serves a similar purpose. Just a little more...specialized.” Andrea explains, a pleased smile curling his lips. “Up to trying it out?”</p><p>“Sure.” Cloud says, voice low. Eyes darting briefly back to toy he’s still fiddling with. That spark of curiosity hovering bright within them. Sends a pleased, rippling little shiver through Andrea. He sees no point in dragging this out any further. Not when it’s something they’re both clearly up for. So he tucks the little box away beneath the edge of the chaise. Out of the way so he can focus on nothing except the beautiful man before him.</p><p>Andrea hums and reaches for Cloud. Curling his hands against Cloud’s knees and gently tugging at him. “Scoot down a little then, sweetheart. You’ll be more comfortable that way.”</p><p>The blond blinks at him and tips his head, the question clear. Andrea tilts his head and smiles when the other moves. Sliding down carefully, Andrea shifts his own position. Folding a leg beneath himself. Bracing the other against the floor alongside them. Coaxing Cloud to rest his feet behind Andrea. Leaving Cloud stretched languidly along the seat. Hips nearly in Andrea’s lap.</p><p>The dancer rubs his hands Cloud’s legs, traces the long, lean muscle all the way up to his hips. Squeezing gently before he reaches for the lube tucked between Cloud and the arm of the seat. Spills a small pool into his palm to coat his fingers. Can feel the heat of Cloud’s gaze on him and glances up. Feels a shiver threaten his spine even as he reaches between them. Brushing to slicked fingers down beneath Cloud’s balls. Trails them along his taint to sweep them over his entrance. Pressure without pushing in.</p><p>“Color?”</p><p>“Green. C’mon.” Cloud replies evenly. A cocky little jerk of his chin that really shouldn’t do as much for Andrea as it does. But he’s learned, more and more, that just about everything Cloud does has far more of an effect on him than it has any right to.</p><p>He can’t really bring himself to complain. Not with that low, simmering heat in Cloud’s eyes. Needs no more encouragement than that to press his first finger inside that tight heat. Cloud makes a soft, stifled noise in his chest. But Andrea doesn’t even have to coax him to relax. Sees and feels the blond take a slow, deep breath. Let’s Andrea press into him easily.</p><p>“Mmm...that’s it sweetheart.” The dancer rumbles, a pleased smile hovering around the corners of his lips. Presses a second in after a few moments. Andrea focuses on working Cloud open, carefully avoiding the bump of his prostate. It’ll be getting more than enough attention soon enough. It’s still a quiet thrill, listening to the soft noises Cloud makes. To see his cock slowly fill, growing stiff and flush with blood. Works him for a bit longer than he needs to, perhaps. Enjoying watching that flicker of arousal and frustration building in Cloud’s expression. But he also wants the blond to be comfortable. They’re likely to be here a while, if Andrea gets his way.</p><p>“Quit screwin’ around.” Cloud groans soon enough, hips rocking back into Andrea’s hand. Clearly impatient and on edge. The dancer chuckles and relents what had more or less devolved. Far more teasing than purposeful.</p><p>“Alright, lovely. Alright.” Andrea says, a touch of a laugh in his voice. Holds out his other hand and beckons with his fingers. “Pass it here.”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes flash a little, surprise widening them as he seems to recall he’s still the one holding the toy. But he reaches out and presses it into Andrea’s fingers. But not before Andrea twists their hands around and kisses the backs of his fingers. Andrea glances up at him from beneath his lashes, voice a low rumble as he grins.</p><p>“Hands on the tie now, my dear.” Andrea tells him. Watching with burning delight as Cloud swallows and bends his hands up. The tie has ended up behind his shoulders during the shift. So Cloud has to curl those gorgeous arms of his. Muscles flexing prettily as he winds the ends of the tie loosely around both palms. And <em>oh</em> if the sight doesn’t send a lance of fire straight through Andrea’s gut. “There’s a good boy.”</p><p>The subtle glow of Cloud’s eyes flares, sharp and sudden. The flush of his face starting to creep down into his neck. His chest hitching on an unsteady gasp.</p><p>God he truly doesn’t play fair. All the worse since he doubts Cloud even realizes he’s playing half the time.</p><p>Andrea presses the head of the toy to Cloud’s entrance. Massages at the inside of his thigh and glances up at the other. Voice low and even as he murmurs. “Just relax for me precious. There we are now...”</p><p>Cloud grunts as Andrea puts a little more pressure behind the touch. Expression shivering in equal parts heat and something just on the edge of surprise. But again, Andrea doesn’t have to do much to remind the other to relax. He does so on his own. Instinct and desire edging out the tension in his body. Letting Andrea ease the toy inside of him, though the dancer still takes it slowly. Careful. But soon enough the base sits flush against Cloud’s skin. One arm curling up along the back, the other presses snug to the boy’s taint.</p><p>Andrea can’t help the pleased smile that curls over his face. “Perfection, beautiful. Look at how well you did.”</p><p>God, Cloud so impossibly sweet. The way he flushes. Ducking away to hide that pleased little shadow smile. He makes Andrea ache in all the best and worst ways. All the way down to the depths of his heart.</p><p>It’s surreal, to think of just how much Andrea misses him when he’s not around. So much worse than the ache of the years before. The uncertainty. And it’s not that Andrea doesn’t know why. But still. It startles him. Threatens to shake something free from beneath his ribs.</p><p>Andrea hums, chuckling at himself as he traces his hands along Cloud’s legs. To his hips, across his waist and back. Slightly mindless touches, just for the joy of getting to have Cloud beneath his hands like this again. And also to give Cloud a chance to adjust. But it’s not long before Cloud shifts before him.</p><p>“Is...that it?” Cloud asks after a moment. Clear confusion furrowed across his brow and bright in his eyes as he glances at Andrea. The dancer chuckles.</p><p>“Comfortable then?” Cloud nods and Andrea smiles. “There’s a trick to getting the right...stimulation.” He taps against Cloud’s abdomen. “Clench your muscles here. Like you’re going to stop yourself from pissing. Then release them, and do the same for your ass.”</p><p>Cloud shifts a little and looks more confused than anything. But a moment later Andrea feels him tense beneath his fingers, hold it for a moment then release. The faintest furrow of concentration between his eyes. Andrea hums. “Good. Keep at it.”</p><p>Cloud still looks quietly unsure, but Andrea can still feel him doing as bid. Grins and shifts up onto his knees. Curling Cloud slightly back in on himself. Grin only widening when startled blue-green eyes dart to his as he leans over and down to catch that lovely mouth with his again. Tastes the sweetly surprised noise Cloud makes even as the other arches to press back into him. Doesn’t linger for long before he traces down Cloud’s jaw.</p><p>“There actually a point to this? Cuz if feels like a whole lot of nothin’.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles. “Have a little patience my dear. With your level of...fitness, it’ll take longer than most.”</p><p>Cloud sighs and thunks his head back against the chair. Andrea hums and drags his hands firm against Cloud’s skin. Rests one over Cloud’s chest and thumbs at his rosy nipple. Tweaking at it and grinning when Cloud’s eyes flash. At the high, hitching noise he catches Cloud stifling.</p><p>Andrea admonishes him gently for holding back. Biting at the sharp jut of his collarbones. Soothing the sting with a slow drag of his tongue. Each teases a new and equally pleasing noise from Cloud. Does it again on the other side just to pluck more from his lips. Dips lower and leaves a scattering of marks across Cloud’s skin in his wake. Haphazard and thoughtless as all the one’s he’s spent tracing the night before. Some of them a faint red, others darker when Andrea finds reason to linger in Cloud’s reactions. Gets the sweetest one so far when his lips take the place of his fingers on Cloud’s chest. Sucking at delicate skin and humming as Cloud groans and pushes into the touch.</p><p>Andrea glances up, impressed that Cloud’s remembered himself and not tried to reach for him. But he can see the way his hands tighten around it. That faint twitch as he apparently stifles the urge. It’s a funny feeling. Heat and pride bubbling in his chest as he reaches to trace a hand over the scar on Cloud’s chest. Savouring the way it kicks beneath his palm as Andrea lavishes attention on Cloud. Buying time and stealing Cloud’s attention so he’s not focused on other things. Waiting for that moment he knows will come.</p><p>The minutes drift by, Andrea finally drifting away from Cloud’s chest. Dipping beneath it and tracing back up his neck. Kissing every inch of skin he can reach. Leaving marks here and there. Kisses Cloud deep and light in uneven measure Keeping Cloud’s attention on him and gently nudging him here and there with reminders to keep tensing those particular muscles. Ignores the way Cloud gripes at him and grumbles because the blond still listens to him either way. That stubborn curiosity pulling him along in the wake of Andrea’s whims.</p><p>It’s subtle, but Andrea feels the faintest tremor starting to build in Cloud’s legs where they’re pressed against his sides. Pulls back from his lips just a touch and trails his hand down. Resting it over Cloud’s stomach just in time to feel a much sharper seize. Cloud gasps, eyes snapping wide as his hips suddenly jerk. A sharp, clearly involuntary motion. Enough to make the head of his erection brush Andrea’s stomach.</p><p>“<em>M-mm</em>! The h-hell’s-?” Cloud stutters. Gazing wide-eyed down his body, attention flickering between himself as the twitch of his abdominal muscles and Andrea’s face. Andrea grins.</p><p>“See? A bit of patience will get you a long way.” Andrea hums, rubbing at the minute shivers he can feel still ripple beneath Cloud’s skin. Meets the blond’s gaze with a slightly devious curve to his lips. “Keep going. Trust me, it’ll only get better.”</p><p>The flash of fire in Cloud’s eyes sparks harsh against the one that’s rippling like slow rolling magma through Andrea.</p><p>“<em>Ahh</em> fuck! <em>H-haah</em>-”</p><p>Cloud grits his teeth. A groan rumbling up from deep inside his chest, cracking out into a high gasp as his hips jerked again. His cock twitches valiantly against his stomach, though it’s weighted down slightly by the ring nestled at the base. Andrea curls his hands against Cloud’s hips. Presses to pin them firm against the seat. Knows the additional stimulation of his cock would probably overwhelm Cloud a touch too quickly for what Andrea has in mind.</p><p>Still the blond’s knees lurch unsteadily against his sides as another tremor shakes harsh though Cloud. His eyes wide and faintly stunned as he pants. Confusion and arousal and uncertainty playing at war across his expression</p><p>“Shit. The f-fuck was that-?”</p><p>Andrea slides a hand into Cloud’s hair. Tugging just enough to get those luminous eyes on him. Trails the backs of his fingers down the side of his face. Soothing as he asks,</p><p>“Color?”</p><p>“I-” Something ripples through the back of Cloud’s gaze. Seems to steady him a moment as he nods. “G-green, I-. <em>Ngh-</em>” Cloud’s mouth trembles a moment, that sweet little keen vibrating in the back of his nose as he shivers again. “Andrea-?”</p><p>Andrea grins, perhaps a little too sharp. But god it’s beyond intoxicating to watch Cloud’s composure cracking beneath an onslaught of pleasure. “It’s called a prostate orgasm, sweetheart. And the best part?” Andrea shifts further over Cloud. Coaxing his legs further up the dancer’s sides. Hands curling against Cloud’s thighs as he holds them there when the other flinches with a gasp. Erection jerking again. “There’s not refractory time.”</p><p>“No shit.” Cloud pants, eyes fluttering as his neck arches back. A sweet noise bottled in the back of Cloud’s throat. Andrea can see it shivering beneath the rolling waves of pleasure he knows are building. Cloud huffs a breath of a sound through his nose, expression contorting slightly. “Fuck that feels weird.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help chuckling at the word. Oh this precious boy. “Bad ‘weird’ or...”</p><p>“Mm mm, just-” Cloud shakes his head, eyes darting. Andrea can see his hands curling tighter against the gold tie as he fights for words. “Different. ‘s like it. It doesn’t s-stop.”</p><p>Even as he says it Andrea can feel that tell tale shakes in Cloud’s legs against him. The gorgeous muscles in his arms shiver as Cloud redirects the quiet humming energy Andrea can feel building in him. Sees Cloud grasping slightly at his mussed spikes. Funny, after he’d noticed in the alleyway in Kalm, Andrea wonders how he’d missed it in the past. It seems so obvious now. The fact Cloud’s holding himself back.</p><p>It just makes Andrea want to pull him apart all the more. Haul him out of that cautious shell and out into the spotlight. To see him without all those tentative, cautious barriers Cloud carries around himself. Andrea’s seen little flashes and glimpses of it before. Moments that have stuck in his head, stubborn as a burr. God he wants to see Cloud in all his beautiful pieces.</p><p>Andrea’d be all too happy to put him back together after.</p><p>“Look at you.” Andrea purrs, voice a deep, velvet rumble. Cloud’s started to leak against his stomach even through the ring. Precum bubbling and dripping against his skin as his erection jerks sporadically. Andrea grabs his hips and drags the blond further onto his lap. His knees sliding up to bracket his ribs. Curling Cloud in on himself slightly.“You don’t need to hold back, precious. Not here. Not with me. Not this time.”</p><p>Cloud rolls up onto his shoulders with a groan as Andrea slides his hands down sensitive inner thighs. Trailing them so close to Cloud’s throbbing need the other twitches like he’s been shocked. Thudding back down against the seat as he presses his head hard back against the cushion. Frustration and need underscoring the low growl the other gives.</p><p>“Fuck-!”</p><p>Andrea can feel the tremors building sharply again. Knows Cloud’s barrelling towards another. Doesn’t try to hide the grin that curls sharp over his features. “Feels so good doesn’t it, sweetheart? I remember experiencing it the first time. All that sweet, sweet heat. Touching parts of you you didn’t even realize could feel so <em>good</em>.” Cloud shudders, an unsteady whine tripping out over his tongue as his head rolls. Pressing his forehead tight to one trembling, tense bicep. Andrea still sees him nod, the motion jerky and tense. Impossible. It’s impossible how <em>beautiful</em> he is- “God I wish you could see yourself right now, Cloud. You’re fucking <em>perfect</em>.”</p><p>“Andr-<em>aaah</em>-!”</p><p>Andrea’s expecting it and has time to brace himself. But even so, the next lurch of Cloud’s hips still nearly sends him off the seat. Uncontrolled and powerful. Reactionary to the pleasure shattering Cloud’s usual careful restraint. Sends a lightning bolt of pure heat straight through Andrea. Makes a low, echoing groan rumble through his chest. Fuck it’s so much of what he wanted.</p><p>“<em>Haah...h-haaah</em>...<em>ngh-</em>”</p><p>Cloud shudders and sinks back against the seat, breathing hard. Face beautifully flushed, the color trickling beautifully down into his heaving chest. There’s an edge of something overwhelmed creeping into his expression. Andrea coaxes him to wrap his legs properly around the dancer’s waist. Runs his hands up Cloud’s shivering torso.</p><p>“Easy sweetheart. Take break if you need. Realx. We’ve got time.” God, Andrea’d sit here with him till the end of days just watch that beautiful, exquisite play of emotion, of <em>sensation</em>, spiralling super bright through Cloud’s gaze. Watching him swim his way through wave after wave of pleasure.</p><p>Still, Andrea knows there’s a fine line to ride. Especially as it’s Cloud’s first time doing something like this. And Cloud’s quiet save for the needy, startled whimpers and gasping breaths. Andrea reaches up to comb a hand through Cloud’s hair tenderly, drawing the blond’s attention back to him.</p><p>“Alright? Still green?”</p><p>“Y-yeah.” Despite the slightly overwhelmed tremble of Cloud’s voice, Andrea can hear the note of certainty in it. “Yeah I. <em>Ngh</em>-!” Cloud’s voice cracks off into a whine. Hips lurching again with an uneven stutter. Strong thighs tightening against Andrea. His eyes flashing. Wild and vibrant. “Shit, this is insane. I- I’m not even-”</p><p>“Mm. It’s all that hard work you did earlier. Exhausted those more delicate muscles. Now you get to reap the benefits as it were.”</p><p>“B-benefits, huh? <em>Hgn</em>!”</p><p>Andrea curls down over Cloud. Tucking his face down alongside Cloud’s. Pressing his lips to his ear as he murmurs.</p><p>“There’s one more feature to it you know. Would you like to see...?”</p><p>Andrea hums. Nuzzling at the line of his jaw as he slips a hand down between them. Still careful to avoid Cloud’s erection as he slips past. Rests his hand against the subtle curve of Cloud’s ass as he fusses briefly with the end of the toy. Finds the button at it’s base and holds it down for a moment. Cloud’s resulting gasp buries the quiet humming noise of the vibration.</p><p>“Fuck. Fuck, fuck, <em>fuck-</em>”</p><p>Cloud’s hand’s jerk above his head. The motion aborted only because the tie’s still trapped between his shoulders and the seat. A desperate, torn noise rips from Cloud’s throat. A plea in his wet eyes that sinks like fire into Andrea’s soul. Andrea catches Cloud’s lips in a fierce, deep kiss. Cutting out his desperate voice as Cloud surges beneath him. Andrea glides his hands up to Cloud’s. Tugs at the fingers that are clenched white knuckled around the taught gold fabric.</p><p>“Drop it.” He growls, a dark rumble in his chest. Cloud groans and shakes his head. Conflict dancing through the back of his eyes even as he gasps. Andrea hums, fond and faintly exasperated. Honestly- “It’s not a trick, stubborn boy. You can let go now. You’ve been so good for me.” Cloud gasps wetly between them. So much shimmering in those glowing eyes that <em>Andrea</em> feels overwhelmed by it. But he feels Cloud’s near death grip loose a touch. “Mmm. That’s right, beautiful. You’ve been absolutely perfect so far. So let it go now. Let go for me, my darling.”</p><p>In the heated air between them. Cloud makes a high breathy noise and the next moment his hands lurch up. Grasping Andrea’s head between them. Andrea groans into Cloud’s lips, tugging the tie away entirely and tossing it blindly. Slides his grip around Cloud’s trembling body. Clutching as his ass and thighs. Pulling Cloud up against him as he rocks back. Nearly misbalancing them when Cloud squirms. Legs locking tighter around his waist. A hard rocking press of his hips as Cloud grinds into the dancers abs with a growling whine. Andrea steadies himself on the arm of the chaise and rises to his feet.</p><p>Cloud’s trembling fiercely against him. The corded muscles of his thighs jumping beneath his skin. Hips jerking unsteadily, grinding against Andrea with a fierce kind of desperation. But despite the fact his hands are now freed from their little game, Cloud doesn’t reach down to free himself. Not from the ring that’s stopping him from climaxing properly, nor the toy that’s driving him over that hazy, indistinct edge again and again. Instead he just clings to the dancer. Clutching hard at his arms, his shoulders.</p><p>It’s surreal to Andrea. That his heart can feel so full when the rest of him pulses and throbs with so much heat it’s as though he’s been submerged in fire.</p><p>“Good boy.” Andrea groans right into his mouth and Cloud seizes sharp against him. Trembling and crying out like he’s just been thrown over the edge again. It stills Cloud enough that Andrea can find his feet. Still barely managing not to stumble as he hauls the other towards the bed and sends them both down atop its surface. A messy tangle of limbs and gasping breaths. Andrea pushes and tugs and rolls them over until Cloud’s on his back in the mussed sheets.</p><p>Cloud grabs him and in a single, fierce tug sends Andrea all but crashing back into him. The surprised, heated groan Andrea gives smothered by the frantic press of Cloud’s mouth to his. Messy and off centre, almost more breath than pressure as Cloud makes one of those high, sweetly plaintive noises at him. Overwrought and clearly toeing the line of oversensitive.</p><p>“Shh. Shhh, easy love. I’m not going anywhere.” Andrea murmurs, mindless and soothing as Cloud shudders and huffs out a hard breath. Something edging on stunned in the sound. Loosening his grip on the dancer just enough that Andrea can ease back an inch so he doesn’t feel like he's smothering the other. Meets those beautiful, wetly glowing eyes tenderly. There's a twist between them Andrea doesn’t quite understand. Tense and a little unsure. Andrea slides a hand up to cup his cheek. “It’s alright, beautiful. Deep breath now, hmm?”</p><p>“F-fuckin’ easy for you to s-say.” Cloud manages, though it’s half slurred and barely audible through his shuddering gasps. But still Cloud shivers. Teeth gritting slightly as he closes his eyes. A few stuttering attempts through his nose before he finally manages to drag himself back in hand enough to take a full breath. Lets it out in a trembling groan, but the fact Cloud had managed it at all plucks at something all too soft in Andrea’s chest.</p><p>“You’re amazing, you know that?” He murmurs. Coasting his hands down from where he’d been running them soothingly over Cloud’s skin. Along his arms, shoulders and chest. Curls them against Cloud’s hips and presses, gentle but firm until the other’s legs ease from their grip around his waist. Eases Cloud back down onto the mattress. The blond’s quivering knees still cradling Andrea between them, feet flat against the bed.</p><p>God, he’s the single most exquisite thing Andrea’s ever been blessed to look upon. More than the sky, the stars, the goddamn sun. It’s almost too much. Too much to look at him, to have him close. For Cloud to <em>choose </em>to be here. It’s...</p><p>Impossible. It should be impossible.</p><p>Andrea supposes that he’s lucky then- truly- that Cloud doesn’t ever seem to give much of a fuck for the impossible.</p><p>Andrea would never say that he’s not a greedy soul. He knows he is. And the fact that Cloud’s so willing to offer him this- offer him pieces of himself like this- Andrea doesn’t think he could stop himself from wanting more.</p><p>Andrea arches over him. Dips his head to press a slow, heated kiss to the scar over Cloud’s rapidly beating heart. Cloud grits his teeth a moment, hips jerking against Andrea’s hold as he gasps.</p><p>“<em>Fuck!</em> C’mon Andrea. L-lemme-”</p><p>Andrea moans and laves his tongue over jagged skin again. The fact Cloud’s had such a reaction to touch over his scar of all places all but screams at how close he is to the edge Andrea wants him hovering over.</p><p>“I will sweetheart. But you know what I’d like from you.”</p><p>He doesn’t think Cloud even realized Andrea’d reached between them again. Pressing the second button on the base of the massager. Causing the humming vibrations to strengthen, growing louder. Andrea has to put actual, real force behind his arms to keep Cloud from sending him sprawling with the next full bodied seize.</p><p>“A-<em>aah</em>! Shit-!”</p><p>Cloud’s hands jerk away from where he’d been clutching at Andrea still. Andrea’s skin throbs as the pressure leaves. Wonders idly if he’s earned himself a few bruises with all his teasing. Watches as Cloud sinks his hands into the sheets. Scrabbling for handfuls of soft material as he rolls up onto his shoulders. Back bowing, beautiful and sharp as he groans a near sob. Andrea about echoes him as a rush of pure arousal makes him throb.</p><p>“That’s it beautiful. Let it build.”</p><p>“The h-hell do you thinks been-<em> guh!</em>”</p><p>Cloud’s head arches back sharply. A strangled, breathless string of curses edged with pleas leaking into the air as he shudders. Stomach and abdomen clenching harshly. The glimmering wetness clinging to his lashes slipping free. Twin streams of silvery sweet, overwhelmed tears vanishing into his wild hair.</p><p>So close. Cloud’s so close to that sweet, sweet edge. Andrea can see it. In the lines of his body. The twist of his face. Hears it in the jagged sounds that drip from Cloud’s lips. But even so, Andrea doesn’t want to push him too far.</p><p>“Color-”</p><p>“<em>Green</em>! ‘S fucking green- <em>fuck!</em>”</p><p>The dancer can’t help the rough, deep groan that tumbles from deep within his chest. Near choking him as it crawls up his throat. His own erection twitching sharp and intense within his briefs. Knows he’s leaked through the front of them just from watching Cloud. From hearing him and feeling the sporadic press of his skin. Toeing the line of his own blissful edge.</p><p>“Perfect.” Andrea rumbles, so much awe in the rough edge of his voice he barely recognizes it. Reaches one hand up to curl against the back of Cloud’s neck. Holding tight as he tilts the other so he can see his face. Watch his surreal eyes flash and shudder. “Perfect- you’re so fucking perfect-”</p><p>“Please. A-andrea, <em>please-!”</em></p><p>Cloud makes a breathless, half garbled noise as Andrea loosens the ring. Sharp hips curling down and away at the touch as Andrea eases it off him. Dropping it beside them before he gets a hand around his darkly flushed cock. Tight and firm, Cloud having leaked so much down himself that that’s practically no friction to the touch.</p><p>All it takes is one firm stroke of Andrea’s hand. Base to glistening tip and Cloud shatters.</p><p>The scream that tears itself from Cloud’s throat trips a shudder of liquid, golden fire down Andrea’s spine. Equal parts relief and desperation. Riding that fine edge between agony and bliss. It’s beautiful, exquisite <em>perfection</em>.</p><p>Andrea groans and bites the edge of his lip. Humming deep in his chest as he watches Cloud spill over his fingers. Heavy, thick pulses that go on and on as Cloud’s body contracts and seizes sporadically. Twists and twitches. Curling in and away senselessly. Andrea doesn’t let him go far. Needs to <em>see</em> it. See Cloud free from all those stubborn barriers.</p><p>His own throat feels almost raw. Can feel himself talking, muttering a mindless, constant stream of awed praise into the heated air. Doesn’t know what he’s saying only that he means every word as he watches Cloud slowly wear down.</p><p>What drags him from his own haze is the note of distress that suddenly echoes alongside Cloud’s next jagged, over wrung sobbing plea. Blinks back to himself, Andrea realizes the toy’s still buzzing away inside the other.</p><p>“Oh god.” Andrea gasps, a brief flash of shame tempering the heat flickering inside him. “Oh sweetheart, I’m sorry. Here. Shh, shh, shh. I’ve got you.”</p><p>Andrea sits back, gently parting Cloud’s legs. Reaching down, he grasps the curved end of the toy. He turns it off and gently eases it free. Groaning at the noise Cloud makes as he does. The way his hips and cock twitch he clenches against nothing. Sets it aside so he can rest his hands against Cloud’s knees. Glides his hands down them slowly, soothing still trembling, seizing muscle. Curls his hands against Cloud’s hips and bends to lick his release from pale skin. Cloud shudders and groans but doesn’t push Andrea away or tell him off. Once he’s more or less satisfied, Andrea leans further over Cloud, brushing fingers along his jaw.</p><p>Cloud’s still shivering. Not as intensely, but still clearly present. Breath catching in high, hitched gasps, rough in his throat. Pupils blown wide. Andrea meets him with a grin, tracing a finger down the line of Cloud’s throat, pressing to the frantic beat of his pulse.</p><p>“That’s one.”</p><p>The groan that Cloud makes borders on a cross between a sob and laugh. Something wild and a touch desperate in his face. Throws a hand over his pretty eyes.</p><p>“<em>Fuck</em>.”</p><p>Andrea hums and shifts. Cupping Cloud’s face between his hands, stroking his thumbs tenderly over flushed, heated skin. Across the trails of far sweeter tears than the odd ones earlier. Content just to hold the other close until he finally drops his hand and meets Andrea’s gaze. The dancer smiles, soft and brushes wild blond locks from his face.</p><p>“Are you alright?” He murmurs. Cloud shivers, but nods. Andrea hums, still feeling faintly awful about forgetting himself like that. Pushing Cloud a touch too far. “You’re sure? That wasn’t too much?”</p><p>“Mm. ‘S fine.” Those beautiful, bright eyes flutter slightly. That tentative little furrow nestling between them. “...C’mere...?”</p><p>Andrea blinks down at the other. Still with faint surprise before everything in him softens. Melts. Carefully shifts from between Cloud’s legs and stretches out along his side. Curling his chest over the blonds so he can dip down to kiss him. Soft and gentle. Chuckling against those tired, faintly smiling lips when Cloud manages to flop a hand onto his arm. Tugging at him till Andrea presses more flush to him.</p><p>Cloud grunts a little and they part. Blue-green eyes darting down between them. Ah. He must’ve felt the lingering, heated press of Andrea’s cock against his hip. Andrea recognizes that faintly guilty light sparking in the depths of his gaze.</p><p>“You didn’t-”</p><p>“I got exactly what I wanted.” Andrea hushes Cloud gently, tapping a finger against his lips. Feels them turn down a touch and chuckles. Fondly teasing as he offers the other half a grin “Well alright. Almost exactly. Would you indulge me a while longer?”</p><p>“With...what?”</p><p>Andrea hums and slides his hand along Cloud’s cheek. Brushing those sweet freckles scattered lightly under his still faintly flushed skin. Watches those bright eyes on him fondly. Voice low and gentle as his smile. “Let me take care of you.”</p><p>“But...” Andrea braces himself, ready for the objection he just knows is coming. Sighs a little, opening his mouth to counter that familiar flicker he can see in Cloud’s eyes. Stubborn, but beautiful. A frown dusting the corners of Cloud’s lips as he speaks. Voice strangely careful. Confused, even. “...That’s what you’ve been doing.”</p><p>Andrea blinks. A sudden, stabbing rush of <em>something</em> sweeping through him with such intensity it threatens to choke him.</p><p>Oh...</p><p>Oh that’s. Not what he expected.</p><p>“I...” The words catch on a lump in Andrea’s throat and he has to pause to clear it for a moment. An incredulous, but warm smile crawling over his face. “Then allow me to keep doing so.”</p><p>Cloud stares at him a moment. Uncertainty painted in the faint shadows across his face. But then slowly he shrugs, a faintly little jerk of motion that’s simultaneously painful and endearing.</p><p>“If you want...”</p><p>Oh this perfect, beautiful, ridiculous boy. As if there’s anything in the world Andrea wants more.</p><p>Andrea kisses him again. Lingers until the press of Cloud’s lips grow unfocused beneath his own. Until Andrea feels that soft, lingering tension ease. Parts from Cloud with a gentle murmur of “One moment.” as the dancer eases out of bed.</p><p>It perhaps ends up being more than a moment as Andrea vanishes down the hall. Finds himself drawing a gently steaming bath for the other and then vanishing to the kitchen for water. Comes back to the bedroom to find Cloud gently curled on his side. He’s snagged one of the pillows from the headboard, lovely arms curled around it in a loose hold. Eyes closed, but Andrea knows he isn’t asleep. Andrea skirts around the edge of the bed to the side Cloud’s facing. Perches atop it’s surface and holds out the glass as Cloud peeks one tired eye open. The blond murmurs a quiet little grumble that’s probably meant to be “Thanks.” as he takes it. Props himself up carefully on an arm as he sips at it.</p><p>“I’ve run a bath. Figured you might like to relax and clean up before you have to get on with your day.” Andrea says as Cloud finishes. Plucking the mostly empty glass from his fingers and setting it aside. Cloud hums, the sound tripping off into a groan as he levers himself up to a seated position.</p><p>“Yeah, probably not a bad idea.”</p><p>Andrea hums, a smile playing on his lips as he scoots closer. “You’re probably going to be a bit shaky for a while yet, my darling.” Andrea warns him, catching those faint, periodic tremors still rippling through Cloud’s lean muscles. “So, may I help you?”</p><p>“Fine...” Cloud says, the word a sigh. Andrea slips an arm beneath Cloud’s knees and the other along his back. Lifts him carefully. Heart aching sweetly as the other curls into him slightly. Arms loose around his shoulders. Those bright eyes blinking up at him a moment before Cloud ducks into the curve of his neck. Andrea hums, squeezing the other to him gently and ducking out of the room.</p><p>Unsurprisingly, Cloud is still stubborn enough to insist he can get into the tub himself. Andrea leaves him to it and heads off to grab some towels so Cloud doesn’t feel like he’s being stifled or that the dancer’s hovering. So he takes his time sorting through the closet. Fusses until he finds a pair that meets his arbitrary standards for size and plushness. Wanders back down the hall again to find Cloud’s managed to clamber into the tub. Already scrubbing at his skin with the cloth Andrea’d left draped over the side. Running it along lean, strong shoulders and across the back of his neck.</p><p>Andrea leans in the doorway a moment. More than happy to watch the play of muscle beneath pale, glistening skin. Catches beads of water dripping enticingly along the curves and angles of his body.</p><p>Cloud notices him of course. Eyes darting over him, a brief pause. Andrea sees that familiar flicker of confusion in that lovely gaze. It still makes Andrea ache a little. That Cloud still doesn’t understand that Andrea finds <em>everything</em> about him something beautiful. Something precious. But the hesitation only lasts a moment before Cloud continues cleaning himself up.</p><p>When he’s done, Cloud settles back with a sigh. The water sloshing gently around him as he sinks a little deeper. His eyes barely slits of color as he rolls his head back against the edge of the tub. Andrea smiles at the sight. Gently setting the towels down beside the sink. He’s starting to feel there’s few things he finds more beautiful in all the world than those rare moments Cloud seems genuinely at peace. It’s something he longs to cling to. To cherish deep down in the depths of his soul because the moments are just that. Rare and fleeting.</p><p>Andrea heads over, sinking down onto his knees leaning against the side of the tub. Resting his chin on his folded arms as he watches the other relax. A feeling of pure contentment settling warm in his chest, reaching down to trail his fingers across the surface of the water. A smile playing soft against his lips, brightening when Cloud finally pries his eyes open to peek over at him.</p><p>“Hey...” Cloud’s voice is a low, peaceful rumble. An edge of relaxation that makes Andrea’s heart swell gently.</p><p>“Hey there beautiful. How’re you doing?”</p><p>Cloud nods slowly, the motion a little sedate. There’s a brief splash of water and the next moment Andrea feels Cloud’s fingers brushing against his. Catches them gently to slide them together. Cloud’s eyes flicker away from his briefly, dropping to their joined hands for a handful of heartbeats before they return. Something shimmering, soft and beautiful in their surreal depths. “...Thanks.”</p><p>“Of course.” Andrea murmurs, lifting Cloud’s hand to his lips. Kissing the backs of his fingers gently. A moment later Andrea feels a tug. Glances up to see a familiar question hovering in those beautiful eyes. Chuckles to himself and follows the gentle, but insistent pull. Leaning over as Cloud does and kisses him. Soft and slow. Lingers just to savour the closeness. The calm. Knows it won’t last forever and that’s what makes it so special. So beautiful.</p><p>He’s still got Cloud’s hand in his when they part a while later. A softly wet noise in the quiet of the room. Cloud’s eyes lidded and content and still the most incredible Andrea’s ever witnessed in all his years.</p><p>“D’you know what time it is?” Cloud murmurs after a moment. A little more present than he has been the past few moments.</p><p>“A little after noon I think. I figured we could whip up a bite to eat before you go. Sound good?”</p><p>“’kay.” Cloud agrees with a nod and Andrea kisses him once more before prying himself up off the floor again.</p><p>“I’ll be in the living room then. I’ve a few things I need to pick away at today. So there’s no rush. You go ahead and take your time, alright?”</p><p>There’s a flicker in Cloud’s eyes, but he still nods and Andrea slips away. Easing the door mostly closed behind him to give Cloud some privacy. He ducks into the bedroom to get properly dressed for the day. There’s still a lingering burn of arousal hovering at the base of his spine, but his erection has largely died now. Easy enough to ignore as Andrea tidies himself up and throws on a set of comfortable clothes. He doesn’t really have any plans to leave the apartment today anyway, so no sense in dolling up much.</p><p>Still, as he finds himself rifling through his jewellery box- such a sad little thing compared to what it once was- Andrea’s fingers brush a small velvet box. He blinks, mind spinning as he tries to recall what’s inside even as he plucks it up and pries it open.</p><p>Oh. Right, this is where he’d stashed his old earrings, the ones that Cloud had returned to him. Their textured gold surfaces gleam back at him from their resting place on the little cushioned interior. The spots of pink and green smooth and unblemished. He's still shocked by how good a state they’re in. That Cloud had taken such incredible care of them over the years. Andrea brushes a thumb along the surface of one of them. Something bright hovering in his chest. Andrea chuckles, a little annoyed when the sound comes out a touch too rough.</p><p>Look at him. Getting into such a mess over such silly sentimentality.</p><p>Andrea carefully tucks the box away again. Admonishing himself for getting sidetracked as he plucks out another, much simpler pair. A thin golden hoop draped with three thin braided chains. Each a slightly different width and size. He slips them on as a final touch, digs out his notepad and heads to the kitchen to put on a pot of tea.</p><p>It isn’t long, perhaps twenty minutes at most, before Cloud joins him. Still, given the other's usual penchant for spending all of five minutes in showers, Andrea can admit he’s impressed he'd lingered so long. Makes him smile as he offers Cloud one of the mugs he’d set on the table top.</p><p>It’s a gentle, familiar kind of quiet that settles over them. Even as they eventually get up to whip together a simple, light lunch and bustle about each other in the small space. It’s nice, just to have to have Cloud in his space again. To glance up or over and find him somewhere nearby.</p><p>Andrea treasures it. Every moment that slips by. Sure that Cloud pushes it just a little too. Lingers until the clock’s about striking three as he slips on his boots. Andrea tugs Cloud to him. Catches his lips in a sweet, gentle kiss. Not quite willing to let go even though he knows he has to. Not at all helped by the way Cloud’s fingers curl into light fists against his chest. Just a touch clingy, especially for him.</p><p>Andrea hums as they part, presses his forehead to Cloud’s and watches his eyes with a gentle smile. “Say hi to Tifa and the kids for me?”</p><p>“Sure.” Cloud says, voice equally quiet. “You should pop by sometime. Denzel said you still owe him the rest of some story or something.”</p><p>“Ah. He’s right I do. Well, I’ll be sure to find the time then.”</p><p>“’kay.” Cloud nods, hovering just a moment longer before he pulls away. Andrea can’t help but read just a little regret in the movement even as Cloud turns, reaching for the door. Andrea locks his hands neatly behind himself. Stifling the urge to reach out and pull him back in.</p><p>“Take care, beautiful. I’ll see you soon.”</p><p>“Yeah...” Cloud glances back over his shoulder. Mid-afternoon sunshine bright in his hair and softening his eyes. “You too Andrea. And thanks. For...for everything.”</p><p>Andrea's smile grows, bright even with the flicker of melancholy in his chest.</p><p>“I told you before, my darling. It’s my pleasure.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>also: the safeword being like a lil code word was 100000% inspired by our lovely neon's fic: August 11th at the Honeybee Inn. And if you haven't read it yet...WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?? Go do the thing it's so good!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Close to Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cloudy boy has a lil bit of an episode/panic once he and Andi are alone. Just a heads up. Love y'all and oh yeah-</p><p>Our lovely Avasti inspires the Seventh Heaven thing and our wonderful CervusDeer inspired Andi's shenanigans with the wee ones. Thank you both so, so much!!! &lt;3</p><p>OH HEY LATE NOTE BUT MOON'S A DUMB! But! If you're lurking around on Twitter you may have heard mention of a Rhife Discord! That is totally a thing that exists and we have a TON of fun over there. It was organized by our lovely CervusDeer aka @moosephu on twitter! So if you're curious and want to join - and are over 21 please!- please reach out to them. Or myself if you like: @lunae_izunia!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>Heading out tomorrow</strong>.</p><p>Andrea can’t say it’s at all the message he wanted to get from Cloud that evening. Makes his insides twist because it’s so soon after his return from Midgar. The longest he’s been away so far. Granted he hadn’t run himself down as badly as the time before, but he’d still been hurt. Still needed <em>rest</em> as far as Andrea was concerned. Cloud shouldn’t be pushing himself like this-</p><p>His phone chimes again. A bright little chirp that sits in stark contrast to the unease starting to bubble in his gut.</p><p><strong>Sorry. Didn’t wanna screw things up earlier</strong>.</p><p>Oh. He’s known for a while then. Maybe that’s why Cloud’d been so willing to indulge him earlier. All his clingy-ness and frankly selfish demands. So...hesitant at the door before he’d left. A swell of something trickles sharp into Andrea’s chest. Warm and cool all at once.</p><p>God, this boy’s going to be the end of him one of these days.</p><p>
  <strong>That was certainly fast.</strong>
</p><p>It’s all Andrea can bring himself to say despite the myriad of thoughts parading around his head.</p><p>
  <strong>Known for a while where some of these others are.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Won’t be gone long. Three or four days maybe.</strong>
</p><p>The dancer lets out a sigh, sinking a little deeper into the couch. Well, that’s certainly better than he was expecting he’ll admit. Dulls the sharp edges out of his worry so they don’t threaten to have his heart bleeding.</p><p>
  <strong>Sounds good sweetheart. Thank you for letting me know.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Sure.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>You?</strong>
</p><p>It takes Andrea a moment to puzzle out what Cloud means. A smiling flickering to life when he figures Cloud’s asking about what he’s going to be up to.</p><p>
  <strong>Oh just the usual I’m afraid. Finally get to start my new class when I get back to work Monday- so that’s exciting. Other than that, it’s seeing what suggestions my boss made for the recital and scrapping together all the pieces.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Not doing it by yourself, are you?</strong>
</p><p>Andrea has to bite back a slightly caustic quip. Cloud’s a fine one to talk about doing things on his own after all. Still, it’d be a lie to say he doesn’t find the apparent concern touching.</p><p>
  <strong>Not at all. Claude’s always eager to lend a hand. And a few of my other Bees have been in contact. Feels a little like old times.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>That’s good.</strong>
</p><p>Cloud’s reply takes an oddly strange amount of time and he goes quiet on Andrea after that, but he’s not surprised. Never one for long conversations this way. Or in general really if Andrea’s entirely honest. But the dancer’s come not to mind. He prefers conversations in person anyway, especially with Cloud. So much easier to get a read on him when he can see all the things he doesn’t say behind those beautiful eyes.</p><p>With a groan Andrea stretches out. Tucking his phone away in the crevice of the couch cushions, tells himself he won’t forget it there again as he stretches his arms over his head and collapses back against the cushions with a sigh. Stares up towards a crack in the ceiling and tells himself for the umpteenth time since Cloud walked out his door a few hours ago that no, he doesn’t need to call the other just to hear his voice.</p><p>It has to stop. Surely it has to stop.</p><p>Andrea reaches a hand down and feels along the floor until his fingers brush the stack of papers he was working with earlier. Drags them up with as much enthusiasm as if they’d been dragged up from the sewers.</p><p>Appropriate enough for anything dealing with the Don, Andrea supposes.</p><p>Leslie’s still being insistent that he can go after Corneo. At this point, Andrea’s all but convinced the only thing keeping Leslie from breaking away entirely is the distance. Andrea’s still trying to muddle out how to close the gap himself. Burning through what few options there may be like a candle to dry tinder.</p><p>As much as Andrea doesn’t want to drag Cloud into this, it’s seeming more and more likely that may be unavoidable. After all, Cloud has a friend who’s a pilot, or so he’s gathered. Hearsay and scattered mentions from Cloud here and there. Andrea groans and rubs at the bridge of his nose. Dammit he was really hoping to avoid that. Cloud has so much else going on. Sees the stress and darkness building itself up and up in the back of his bright eyes every time he comes back from his jobs for Shinra. And now who knows how long it’ll be before it’s finally finished-</p><p>“Not helpful.” Andrea mutters at himself, because it’s true. Not for either of their current situations. Cuts off that aimless, pointless train of thought before it can gain any real traction. Chains it back down and rolls to his feet. Clearly he’s not in the right frame of mind to sit around going through paperwork. Better do a few run throughs of the starting choreography he wants his new team to be doing. Burn off some of his energy and iron out what few kinks he’s sure are still lurking around in the steps. Honestly, Andrea’s a little surprised he’s got as much energy as he does, given his relatively early morning. It’s not something he’s inclined to complain about. It’s been too long since he had time to himself to really focus on something new.</p><p>His free weekend passes in a slow blur of moments. Of sleep and food and dancing. Flitting between his living room and the rooftop. Claude pops by Saturday to help him run steps and spot for any gaps or weaknesses. Walking and talking for breaks between and in the evening they sprawl out in his still mussed up living room. Claude painting both their nails while Andi peers at maps and wracks his brain over and over. Hoping he can find an answer to his travel problem that isn’t going to involve going to Cloud and getting him at least partly involved.</p><p>Goes to bed late Sunday night with a sigh because he’s found no easy answers save fucking <em>walking</em> half a world away. He’d even tapped his unexpected resource in the Madame and she hadn’t had any easier answers for him. Save for a hell of a lot more gil changing hands than Andrea can afford right now and a myriad of delays and hopping between ports.</p><p>He forces himself to tuck it all away Monday morning as he hurries through the halls of the studio. Narisa’s given him the earliest block of the day for this new class. So he gets his students fresh off a hopefully good nights rest, not worn out from their other commitments. A small blessing now that’s only going to grow more and more important over the weeks.</p><p>Andrea knows they’re going to positively <em>fly </em>by. He has a little over eleven weeks to get this group whipped into proper shape. To pull them in from all their corners of life and experience in the world of dance and shape them into something new. Something stronger. Andrea knows he can do it. Knows that each of his hand picked students more than has the skills, the drive. It’s just a matter of tapping into it. On an individual level yes, but also in cohesion with the others. He’s done it before of course. Hell, it’s how he built the Inn to the state it had been by the end of it all. Harder there too because the majority of the souls he tapped had no experience in dance what so ever. Compared to that, this new little task is likely to be a cinch.</p><p>Were he not fully aware of her other commitments, Andrea would admit himself surprised by the fact Laurem isn’t here already. She's usually the first, often times beating out even him in her eagerness to get just ‘one more’ practice in. Still, it’s nice to have the room to himself even for a few minutes. He’s sure the students are bound to start spilling through the doors shortly. So Andrea uses the momentary peace to riffle through his bag. Digs out a music disc he’d brought along, pops it in and starts his own warm up. Settling comfortably near the centre of the room. Stretching groggy limbs and getting his blood gently pumping.</p><p>There’s chatter outside the door after a moment, a careful knock and voices arguing back and forth. The first brave soul through the door is Natalie. Shouldering through the little crowd gathered outside.</p><p>“Get over yourselves, guys. We’re gonna be late the first day and how’d <em>that</em> look.” She snips in a way that reminds him a little eerily of Narisa. She’ll be a keeper then. Behind her shuffle in the slightly chagrined faces of Grant, Ariel and Erik. He’s sure Rachel and Dalton will be close behind. Thick as thieves those two. Rare to see one around the studio without the other. Andrea hums, reaching to grasp his toes as he bends. Jerking his head.</p><p>“Come in, come in if that’s the issue. Everyone get settled in, we’re still waiting on a few more faces.”</p><p>“See?” Natalie says a smug grin, flouncing along the wall to drop her bag and coat in a neat heap on the ground. The others shuffle along behind her, easy chatter breaking over the group. Andrea watches them through the mirror. Curious to see what they will do as he continues working. They’d caught his eye based on talent and sparks on ingenuity. But it will take more than that to do what Andrea’s going to require of them. Much more.</p><p>And he’s given himself a week, to weed out the ones who won’t cut it.</p><p>The door edges open again not two minutes later and Laurem edges through. Ariel’s the only one who notices her, offering a brief wave the girl returns a touch nervously. Andrea can’t say he’s too surprised. Laurem’s a relatively solo entity around the studio given her busy life outside it. And what’s more she’s the only Junior he tapped for this project.</p><p>On top of that she’s one of only two that Andrea’d selected from his classes- Sam still isn’t here else wise he’s certain the young man would be right alongside them. The other students all came from Maise’s and Harlow’s groups. And because of that, Andrea’s <em>very</em> curious to see what they’ll do now. He knows he runs a very different sort of class to both of the more classically trained dancers.</p><p>Lareum settles her heavy bag away from the others and heads straight for him. Andrea ducks his head, pretending to be stretching out his spine to hide the pleased grin on his face as she settles beside him. Silently, but intently getting started on her own warm ups. Sam shows up a little before Andrea intends to start things. Offering the instructor a slightly sheepish glance and a wave when Andrea catches his eye through the mirror.</p><p>The timer he’d set chimes and Andrea rolls for it. Scooping up and twisting as he spins to face them. Hand on one cocked hip and a grin on his face.</p><p>“Good morning. I trust everyone is sufficiently warmed up?”</p><p>His voice clearly startles the students still chattering along the way. Seven pairs of wide eyes turning to him, a brief chorus of half-hearted, stunned questions.</p><p>“W-wait-!”</p><p>“Huh-?”</p><p>“But you didn’t say-”</p><p>Andrea holds up a hand, silencing their protests. “I’m afraid you’ll find me rather less...<em>traditional</em> than your other instructors. For one, please, for the love of god don’t call me Mr. Rhodea. I prefer Andrea- or better yet, Andi. For two, the first ten minutes of our time together is your own. I don’t care what you do. Chat, stretch, sit in silent contemplation. Whatever it is that will put you in the mindset I need you in.”</p><p>“And what mindset is that, Andi?”</p><p>Andrea glances towards Ariel, offering the young woman a warmer smile. Good memory, that one, quick to adapt. Promising, he noticed it when he’d run observations in Maise’ class.</p><p>“To be ready to dance your darling feet off for the next solid hour of your lives.”</p><p>“He means it.” Sam chimes from the back of the group. Andrea chuckles and winks at the young man.</p><p>“Indeed I do. But today, we’re going to go a little easier. I know most of you’ve had classes together, but I’m a very firm believer in team bonding. I selected you all based on your individual talents, yes, but this is a unit and I expect you to act like one. So!” Andrea claps his hands together with a grin. “Here’s what I was thinking.”</p><p>By the end of their first hour, Andrea can see the shape of something special. Hazy yes. Still indistinct like the shadow of something through smoke. But he can <em>feel</em> it shaping into something more. Something greater.</p><p>God does it feel good. Because this class, this chance, is a real opportunity to spread his wings again. To prove to himself that he’s still got that special touch. The one that pushed him into the spotlight in the gloom of the underground. He needs this, as much for himself as anything.</p><p>Selfish perhaps, but Andrea’s never pretended to be anything else. Besides, he does want to see these kids succeed. To watch them blossom into their full potential. It’s always a rush unlike anything else.</p><p>And if their hour spent talking and dancing and getting to know each other on even the basest level is any indicator, this little experiment of Narisa’s is going to turn into something truly special.</p><p>Andrea shadows Laurem to the next class. Nice to settle into the familiar rhythm of the students he’s been working with the better part of a year now. Come noon and the end of his work day, Andrea wanders over to Narisa for her notes on the recital. Doesn’t bother opening them yet though, may as well wait till he’s home again, with a stiffer drink then the water bottle he’s currently sipping at.</p><p>He tracks down Claude before he heads for home. Offers his condolences that the other’s stuck here for at least two more hours. Dealing with likely more of Maise’s dry lecturing and apparently Narisa’s asked to see him too. That, if nothing else, is enough to have Andrea tugging his friend into his side, arm tight around his shoulders. Claude eventually pushes him off, teasing and chiding him to get a move on.</p><p>Andrea flits home, making a few absent stops along the way. Grabbing himself a treat at one of the small local bakeries because he just <em>knows</em> he’s going to need the boost going over Narisa’s notes. When he gets home he climbs into the comfiest set of clothes he owns, tucks himself into a nest on his new chair- valiantly ignoring the images that want to blossom to vibrant life in his mind- and flips open the folder.</p><p>It’s not as bad as he expected. Oh sure, there’s a <em>lot</em> of Narisa’s ominous red pen markings everywhere across the pages. But there’s not much she’s completely torn down and wants to go from scratch. Andrea finds himself sending images and ideas to both Claude and Lucia through the whole thing. Chuckling and adding things to his own carefully kept notes.</p><p>Tuesday morning goes much the same. Gets his newest class- affectionately dubbed his little ‘Weeds’ in the back of his mind- started on the real work. All in all it’s looking very promising. Leaves that afternoon after his Junior’s class feeling refreshed and ready for the work that’s sure to come.</p><p>Andrea’s barely been home a half hour before his phone starts to ring. He reaches for it, absently. Tapping the screen to answer without looking. Tucks it against his ear.</p><p>“Hello?”</p><p>“<em>Andi?</em>”</p><p>Something in Andrea pulls tight. Sudden and cold at the tremble he can hear all too clearly beneath the familiar voice.</p><p>“Tifa?” He asks, voice a touch sharp as he sits up from his sprawl in his chair. Brow furrowing in worry. He swears he hears her breath tremble on the other end.</p><p>“<em>I-</em> <em>god this is so ridiculous. I’m sorry to bother you, but I can’t get in touch with anyone else and-</em>”</p><p>“Tifa, you’re not a bother at all. What’s the matter?”</p><p>“<em>We had a fire at the bar-</em>” The worry sharpens into a blade that sinks like ice into Andrea’s chest. Choking out a gasp as he rocks to his feet, mind torn. Hovering on the horizon, torn between holding his tongue and demanding answers. Tifa beats his thoughts to coherence. “<em>It’s nothing serious! I just-</em>”</p><p>Nothing serious perhaps, but Andrea can hear the waver beneath her words. The sharp, stinging note of fear. Real and painful and his heart clenches tight. Like there’s a first squeezing around it. He’s moving even before he makes the decision to.</p><p>“I can be right there. Give me fifteen minutes. Do you want me to stay on the phone?”</p><p>“<em>O-oh</em>. <em>I- no. No that’s fine.</em>”</p><p>“Alright. Call me back if you change your mind. I’m on my way.”</p><p>“...<em>Thank you, Andi.”</em></p><p>Andrea’s at the door, jamming his feet into a pair of flats within moments of ending the call. Has to double back to grab his keys and wallet- just in case, before he rushes out and hurries off down the street. His heart’s lodged painfully in the base of his throat. Pounding sharp in time to every step. Fuck, he knows Tifa’d said it wasn’t serious. But god after what’d happened with Cloud just days ago...</p><p>Andrea shoves the quiet horror away, focuses on just getting there as quick as he can.</p><p>Can smell the smoke on the air even before he turns down Seventh Heaven’s street and it twists the knot in his gut tighter. Puts even more speed in his steps. There’s a fire truck parked in front of the bar, half covering the sidewalk to give the tiny street space enough for vehicles to ease by it as needed.</p><p>Tifa’s standing outside, arms folded tight over her stomach, talking to one of the firefighters. She seems unhurt from a distance, but it’s all too easy for Andrea to remember the shudder to her voice over the phone. Whatever conversation they’d been having, the fighter breaks away and Tifa turns, eyes trailing over her home before they catch on him.</p><p>“Andi, hey.”</p><p>“Hey.” Andrea echo’s jogging up to her. Reaching out to rest a steadying hand on her shoulder. “Are you alright?”</p><p>“Fine. I’m fine, really.”</p><p>“Tifa.” Andrea says, careful but firm. Squeezing his hand against her gently. He knows better, can hear that low quaver behind her voice. It’s another similarity, between her and Cloud. Always so quick to tuck their own troubles and fears away. It’s a worrying habit. They’re hardly children, either of them, but it’s still an ache inside him to think on what horrors they must have been through. For that to be their default.</p><p>Clearly, whatever’d happened, Tifa’s more shaken by it than Andrea expected. Sees her vermilion gaze waver. Sharp and sudden and too bright. Her arms tightening around her waist. A trembling, awful smile tugging haphazard at her expression. A fight for control of herself that Tifa’s very quickly losing. “It’s stupid. It was the tiniest thing. I just-”</p><p>Andrea pulls her in close against his side as her voice cracks on a waver. Tucking his arm around Tifa’s shoulders. Holds onto her gently even as she gasps quietly.</p><p>“I don’t want to lose it all. <em>Again</em>.”</p><p>Oh. Andrea’s grip on her tightens again. Firm and soothing as it clicks for him, just what has her so shaken. Of course. He remembers the night of Sector 7’s collapse. The devastation. Remembers seeing Cloud and Tifa slipping through the dazed, confused crowds. Soot streaked across them both and distant horror in their eyes. Of course, now he knows that’d been the second home they’d lost.</p><p>God, could the world not leave well enough alone? Had they not been through enough already?</p><p>“Nothing wrong fearing losing what you love Tifa.” Andrea murmurs quietly. Thumb rubbing slow circles against her shoulder.</p><p>“Right...” Andrea lets her go as Tifa shifts back with a weak laugh and weary sniffle. She wipes at her faintly reddened eyes. Watery smile tucking itself into something a little more genuine. “Thanks, Andi. You’re sweet.”</p><p>Andrea really doesn’t see what’s sweet about offering support to a friend who’s gone through so much. Still, he’s not about to argue. He glances around the street, the emergency truck just starting to pack up and pull away.</p><p>“Are the kids around?”</p><p>“Yeah, they got back from school a little while ago.” Tifa nods, heading back towards the bar. Andi trails her closely. An idea springing to mind as they step into the bar. The smell of smoke hanging in the air. Sees the faintest stutter in Tifa’s step as she looks back to where the wall above the stove’s charred.</p><p>“Why don’t you all come over to the apartment?” He offers, stepping up beside her. “Get away from this mess for a little while.”</p><p>“I-” All at once Tifa looks surprised and apologetic. “That sounds amazing, but I need to make some calls. Get someone in to come look things over.” She wrings her hands before herself, rocking on a heel as she glances at him. Something tentative to the furrow of her brow. The tilt of her smile. “Would you still take the kids?”</p><p>“Of course. It’d be my pleasure.” Andrea agrees immediately, though he really wishes Tifa’d take a break from all this. Still, he understands wanting to push through the worst of something, he just hopes she doesn’t push too far. Tifa gives him a wide, relieved smile. Hurries over towards the bar, voice pitching higher as she calls.</p><p>“Marlene, Denzel! Come here please.”</p><p>There’s a patter of footsteps through the ceiling. Louder on the stairs as they creak and a moment later both the kids appear. Marlene just barely ahead of Denzel.</p><p>“Yeah?” The girl chimes, then smiles and waves when she notices him. “Hi, Andi.”</p><p>Andrea returns the wave as Tifa ushers the kids over and gives them a nudge in his direction. The kids look at her, confused and Tifa meets them with her usual warm smile. “Andi’s going to take you over to his place for a little while okay? Just while I finish up here.”</p><p>It’s more than a little flattering, to see the way Marlene perks up with an excited gasp. “Really? We get to go to your house?”</p><p>“It would be my greatest pleasure to entertain you, my lady.” Andrea replies, bowing to her with all his showman’s flare. Marlene giggles, the sound light and easy. He admits he’s relieved the accident doesn’t seem to have gotten to her too much. Denzel he’s less sure of. The boy’s quiet, rocking on his toes as he glances back at Tifa.</p><p>“Is Cloud coming home?”</p><p>“Yeah. Said he’d be here in a few hours.” Tifa replies with a smile, reaching out to ruffle Denzel’s hair affectionately. Unsurprisingly the news ignites that bright spark of a smile on the kid’s face. Andrea can feel his own relief and excitement bubbling in his chest at the news. Tifa must catch something on his face because she turns that same warm smile to him as she nudges Denzel again gently. This time the boy trots over to Andrea's side, tucking his hands into his pockets as he glances up at the dancer with a slightly sheepish grin. Andrea returns it warmly.</p><p>“Well then, off we go.” He turns, throwing a smile over his shoulder, “Try not to take too long, Tifa. Else you’ll miss out on all the fun.”</p><p>Tifa laughs, the sound not near as fragile as earlier. “Then I’d better hurry. Be good you two!”</p><p>The sound of the bell above the door follows them out as the three of them duck out onto the street. Andrea silently wracking his brain for how on earth he’s going to entertain two kids for the next couple of hours. God he wishes he had Claude’s easy time of it. Inwardly he chides himself. Fretting over nothing, it’s not like either of the kids are any trouble. Still, he knows he doesn’t have the most child friendly home. Not much to do-</p><p>A dainty hand slips into one of his, dragging Andrea from his thoughts. His attention darting down to his right where Marlene’s smiling up at him. A thought springing to mind as he eyes her sweet face and squeezes her hand gently.</p><p>“Marlene, I have a very important question for you.”</p><p>It’s adorable the way she straightens, wide eyed and suddenly serious.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You know those absolutely scrumptious sugar cookies you and Cloud made for us all a while ago?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah! Those were so yummy.”</p><p>“Indeed. I think it might be fun for us to whip up a batch too. Do you know the recipe?”</p><p>The grin that breaks over Marlene’s face is downright infectious. “Uh huh! It’s one of my favourites!”</p><p>“Wonderful.” Andrea glances over to the boy hovering quiet beside them. Sees the flicker of excitement in his eyes. “What do you think, Denzel? Sound fun?”</p><p>“Sure.” Denzel replies, a touch too bright for the casual shrug he manages. Andrea chuckles. Just another way he sees so much of Cloud in the child.</p><p>“Alright. Then let’s pop by a shop on the way there, and grab what we need.”</p><p>Marlene insists on carrying one of the two baskets and Andrea’s happy to let her as they wander the aisles. He’s got a few of the ingredients at home, but he really doesn’t mind grabbing a few fresh things. Knows for certain he’s low on sugar. Denzel offers to carry that, wrapping his wiry little arms tight around the heavy sack. They wander a bit deeper into the baking aisle, Marlene reminiscing about the cute shapes they’d baked last time. Andrea offers her a sheepish smile as they grab almond extract for the icing.</p><p>“I’m afraid I don’t have any of those darling little cutters you used.”</p><p>“That’s okay. Circle ones are easy. You can do them with a cup or something.” Denzel pipes up hefting the bag of sugar a little higher. Marlene hums in agreement, nodding quickly.</p><p>“Ah, I see. Very clever. I definitely have cups, so we can make do.”</p><p>He’s met with enthusiastic agreement and they head for the checkout after one last double, <em>double</em> check that they got everything.</p><p>Andrea hands Marlene his keys as they reach his door. She hurries to unlock the door for them and in a few minutes all three of them are unloading things in the kitchen. Andrea sets them up at the table with the sandwiches and drinks he’d picked up for them. They hadn’t had time after school to grab their usual after school snack with everything that’d been going on.</p><p>Marlene chatters away at him as they eat. Telling him which ingredients they need and which measuring cups. Andrea pulls out a few cups for inspection to let Denzel pick out ‘the perfect size’. Andrea ‘sacrifices’ a few of his older shirts to the cause in an attempt to keep the worst of the mess off the kid’s clothes. It works...somewhat.</p><p>They divvy up tasks between themselves. Marlene carefully measuring out dry ingredients. Denzel on wet. Andrea works at combining it all together under Marlene’s watchful eye. Realizes once their dough’s formed that he doesn’t have a rolling pin and in a flash of quietly proud genius improvise one out of a wine bottle. It works well enough for their needs. Just like the glass that Denzel picked for their cookie sizes.</p><p>Soon enough he’s sliding two carefully laden trays into the oven and sets the time under Marlene’s not so gentle reminder. She’d regaled him with the tale of the ‘poor burned cookies’ she’d done with Cloud one of the first times they ever baked together, just the two of them.</p><p>The kids follow Andrea along into the bedroom to dump the now flour marked shirts into his laundry hamper. Andrea popping open his closet too to grab at least a fresh shirt for himself if nothing else.</p><p>“Wow. You have <em>so</em> many pretty clothes, Andi!” Marlene chimes from somewhere by his elbow.</p><p>“Why thank you.” Andrea chuckles, quietly wistful. God, if she thought this sad collection was pretty, what he wouldn’t give to show off his old wardrobe. There’d been some truly spectacular little gems in it.</p><p><em>Baby steps. You’ll get it back</em>. He tells himself for the hundredth time to push the flickering sadness and aching loss away. Distracts himself with an idea blossoming in the back of his mind at the child’s enthusiasm. With a hum he glances at Marlene then back at his clothes critically. Flicks through the hangers with his fingers and pulls out one of his nicer dress shirts. Kneels down to hold it up in front of the girl.</p><p>“I think this one would suit you very well. What do you think?”</p><p>Marlene, who’d been clutching and the sleeves and swaying cutely as she admired the coral pink shirt gapes at him. “Really? I can wear it?”</p><p>“Of course. I haven’t had an excuse to dress up properly in ages. And now all the messy work’s behind us, why not have a bit of fun? We could put on a little show and everything.” Marlene agrees immediately, laughing with delight as she starts to slip the shirt off it’s hanger. Andrea chuckles and glances over to where Denzel’s watching them, perched just on the edge of the bed. “Denzel, care to join us?”</p><p>“Uh...I-I dunno.”</p><p>“As you like. If you change your mind, let me know.”</p><p>Denzel nods, and Andrea dives back into his closet. Picking out a few things. Not all for right now, but he figures with the girl’s excitement they’ll be at this a while. As he lays a few things carefully over the side of chaise and on the bed a quiet memory stirs.</p><p>“My brother and I used to do this every once and a while when we were kids.” He admits, crouching down to wrap a tie around Marlene’s waist as a makeshift belt. The shirt hangs nearly to her feet, so it’s an easy enough thing to model a dress out of.</p><p>“You have a brother?” Marlene asks, sounding surprised. Andrea nods,</p><p>“His name’s Jules.”</p><p>“That’s a pretty name. Does he live here too?”</p><p>“...No. We got separated during Meteorfall. And I’m not sure where he’d ended up.” Andrea admits quietly. Glances up to see a slightly painful shadow on Marlene’s face. Pulls on a smile and reaches up to tap the end of her nose. Startling a sweet little giggle from her. “But I know he’s alright, wherever he is. Call it a big brother’s intuition.”</p><p>His antics and words both seem to put Marlene at ease and Andrea pushes back up to his feet easily. Gestures for her to follow.</p><p>“Now. Time to accessorize I think. Let’s see what I can dig up.”</p><p>“Okay!”</p><p>Andrea plucks up his jewellery box and settles comfortably on the ground to riffle through it. Plucking out the odd piece here and there to make room and search a little deeper. There’s a few things he’s already got in mind, it’s just a matter of finding-</p><p>“Hey, Cloud had these ones too.”</p><p>Andrea glances over and sees the small velvet earring box in Marlene’s hand. She has it popped open, staring down and the gently glinting gold. Andrea chuckles.</p><p>“Mm. I gave them to him back when we first met in Midgar.”</p><p>“They were yours?” Again Andrea nods. Marlene gets a surprisingly considering look on her young face. Something older than her tender years. Then she smiles, nods. “Must be why he liked them so much.”</p><p>Marlene closes the box carefully and hands it back over. Andrea takes it, only just remembering to say thank you. Heart and mind swimming in the faintest prick of warm disbelief. Funny, he’d known Cloud kept them. Known that he’d even had them lying about in his garage for a time. But it’s still...surreal sometimes, to think about it. To know he’d been...missed. Or at least thought about all those years between.</p><p>Andrea returns the box to the top of the dresser. Buys himself just a moment holds out the other accessories he’d found for Marlene. “What do you think of these?”</p><p>Soon enough they’ve got Marlene all ‘glamoured up’ as it were. Bracelets at her wrists, a necklace draping from her neck. Andrea’d even found a pair of simple clip-on earrings for her in the depths of the box. Once they’re finished, Marlene steps back, arms stretching out as she twirls.</p><p>“How do I look?”</p><p>Andrea grins, laughing and applauding her in turn. “Simply marvellous dear girl.”</p><p>Marlene beams and scurries off to look at herself in the long mirror over by the room divider. Andrea tidies up the little mess of things scattered here and there. Denzel, who’s been watching them quietly pipes up as Andrea goes to return the velvet box to its place.</p><p>“You never finished telling us that story. About how you met Cloud and Tifa.”</p><p>“You’re right, I haven’t.” Andrea agrees with a hum, glancing back at the boy. Remembers Cloud’d said something similar not long ago. Wonders if that was the blond’s round about way of giving permission. “Maybe a little later on. We’ve got a show to put on after all. Denzel, will you play our fantastic audience.”</p><p>“Sure.” He replies, hopping down off the end of the bed and hurrying down to the living room. Marlene, finished with her self inspection, hurries over to Andrea.</p><p>“Will you take pictures?” She asks, sweetly tipping her head in askance. Andrea chuckles.</p><p>“Certainly. We’ll pick a few favourites and I’ll send them to Tifa. Then she can share them with Barret, if you like?”</p><p>“Yeah!”</p><p>Andrea hums and asks her to give him a few moments to make sure they’re ready for her. Slips down to join Denzel who’s perched on the edge of the couch. Andrea enlists him to pick some music for their ‘runway’ which Andrea fashions out of a couple of throw blankets he’s got lying around. Folds them up and places them along the ground as a pseudo red carpet- largely minus the red.</p><p>“Isn’t it gonna be kinda weird? Just having the two of us for an ‘audience’?” Denzel asks, carefully fluffing the gold pillows on the couch under Andrea’s direction.</p><p>“I shouldn’t think so. If anything we’re lucky.” Andrea replies, leaning back onto the heavy arm of his chair easily.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Well we managed to score VIP seating to the most fantastic runway show in all of Edge today.” Andrea explains with a wink and a grin. Denzel blinks at him, wide eyed and confused. Then a smile eeks out over his young face as he shakes his head and settles back into place on the couch. Andrea chuckles and straightens from his slump. Flinging his arms out, poised and filled with every bit of panache he had back in Midgar. Voice rising loud and clear over the music.</p><p>“Ladies and Gentlemen! One and all. I bid you welcome to the grandest show on Gaia! Gracing us this afternoon with her splendour is the one and only Marlene Wallace!”</p><p>He can hear Denzel laughing at his antics, hears the faint strands of Marlene’s echoing giggles as the girl traipses out of the bedroom. Andrea greets her with applause and cheers, pleased when Denzel joins in, if a little sedated by comparison. Doesn’t seem to matter to Marlene though as she twirls and poses for Andrea to get pictures. Giggling all the while when Andrea puts on a falsely high voice calling.</p><p>“Oh Miss Marlene! You look <em>stunning</em>. This way, over this way! Smile for the camera!”</p><p>Once Marlene’s had her fun she turns to Andrea. Eyes sparkling bright and excited as she asks, “Can I do another one?”</p><p>Andrea hums and nods, gesturing back towards the bedroom. “Of course, sweetie. To your heart's content.”</p><p>Marlene claps her hands with excitement and hurries back inside. Andrea looks over at Denzel. The boy’s been sweet, indulging them both so far. And right now Andrea can see a spark of curiosity and interest in his blue eyes. The timer for the oven beeps and Andrea heads to pull out the delicious smelling batch. Denzel follows him, perching at the table.</p><p>“Marlene’s having a lot of fun. Sure you don’t want to give it a shot?” Andrea asks him, deliberately casual as he deletes a few of the too fuzzy images off his phone. Denzel starts, blinking at him wide eyed. Andrea glances at him with a smile and a gentle shrug. “You don’t have to of course. Just seems a shame for only one to have all the fun.”</p><p>Denzel shifts, hands curling in his lap to twist his fingers together absently. A frown on his face. “Isn’t it kinda a girl thing? Playing dress up and all that?”</p><p>“Not at all.” Andrea replies immediately. Even and calm as he drops his phone and turns to look at Denzel fully. “Looking nice and having a bit of fun with it’s hardly a gendered concept. It’s simply a way to express one’s self.”</p><p>Denzel blinks at him. Several things passing through his eyes before he shrugs. Reaching up to ruffle a hand through his messy, reddish hair. “Never really thought about it like that.”</p><p>“Most people don’t.” Andrea says, something he’s always found more than a touch sad. “Want to give it a go?”</p><p>“...Yeah. Yeah, okay.”</p><p>Andrea gets to his feet and ushers Denzel into the room as well. Marlene glances up at them. Clearly about halfway through picking out her next ensemble. She positively lights up when she sees the boy.</p><p>“Are you gonna play too Denzel?” The boy nods still a little sheepish. Marlene doesn’t seem to care in the slightest. “Okay! I’ll be the audience then.”</p><p>Before either of them can get a word in otherwise she’s rushing back out, calling over her shoulder that she’ll “Be the best audience <em>ever</em>!”</p><p>Andrea plucks out a few more things from his closet and dresser. Spreads them out to make sure they each have a few more options. Denzel hovers in front of the clothes. Something quietly anxious in the way he fusses with the hem of his shirt.</p><p>“So...how do I pick out something?”</p><p>“I’d say choose whatever speaks to you.” Andrea says with a smile. The boy still seems rather out of his element- unsurprising of course. “But if you’d like a starting point...” Andrea turns to the spread. Humming as he glances them over. Glances back at Denzel before it clicks. “Try this.”</p><p>From the stash, Andrea pulls out a midnight blue shirt with faint gold embossing here and there. The blue’s a near perfect match to the boy’s eyes. Gold picking out the lighter strands of his hair. A good fit, by all accounts and Andrea smiles as the boy takes it. Running his fingers around the soft fabric.</p><p>He leaves Denzel to look things over. Heads back for his jewellery box because if they’re going to go all out as it were, then Andrea thinks it only proper to go the extra mile. However after a few minutes he notices Denzel’s oddly quiet behind him. Turns to look back. The boy’s slipped into the shirt, dark material hanging loosely over his clothes. He’s closer to the bed now too, absently tugging at the dark material of one of the skirts Andrea’d pulled out. Some furrow twisting Denzel’s brow. He looks almost troubled.</p><p>“Something the matter?” Andrea calls, voice low, but it still makes Denzel start. Drops the fabric he’d been toying with like it’d just caught on fire. Andrea’s chest tightens a little painfully. Thinks he knows what’s making those dark eyes dart fretfully. He wanders over. Plucking the skirt from the pile. The boy has a good eye, that’s for certain. Something Andrea himself might’ve chosen to go along with what he already has. The skirt’s a short, black thing, bits of golden crinoline peaking out from just beneath it’s hem. Matches the streaks in the shirt near perfectly.</p><p>“You’ve an eye for this sort of thing.” Andrea compliments with a smile. “But I’ve got a feeling that’s not what’s troubling you.”</p><p>Denzel shifts. Arms curls slightly defensively before him. One hand locked around his wrist. “I like it. But-.”</p><p><em>As I thought</em>.</p><p>Andrea kneels down in front of the boy, folding his hands over his knee, a serious expression on his face as he eyes him. He raises a finger to his lips, speaking in a hushed voice.</p><p>“I’ll tell you a secret, if you promise to keep it between us for now.”</p><p>Denzel looks startled, but he nods after a moment, shuffling a bit closer when Andrea beckons him over. “Okay?”</p><p>Andrea makes a bit of a show glancing around them. Leans in just a little more to stage whisper near Denzel’s ear.</p><p>“Cloud’s worn a dress before.”</p><p>Denzel gasps and reels back, dark blue eyes wide as he stares at the dancer.</p><p>“Wh- no way!”</p><p>“Oh definitely ‘way’.” Andrea replies, a smile dancing around his mouth as he shrugs casually. “That’s how we met actually. He was trying to help Tifa out of a bad situation, and the only way to do it was to dress up. I offered to help. And you know what?” The boy shakes his head, still clearly stunned. Andrea meets his eyes with a smile and a quietly serious gaze. “Wearing that dress did absolutely nothing to change just how brave or kind or strong he is.” <em>Nor how beautiful</em> Andrea thinks to himself, smiling a bit more at the memory. “If anything, it just showed it off all the more.”</p><p>Andrea gives the boy a moment to process all of that. Holds the skirt out and gives it a little shake. Plucking and fixing the golden hemming carefully. When Denzel stops his absent shifting Andrea lays the skirt over his knee delicately.</p><p>“Do you think Marlene would laugh at you? Or Tifa or Cloud?” It’s sweet and quietly reassuring at how quickly Denzel shakes his head. Utters a soft, but firm “<em>N-no</em>.” Andrea hums and nods. “Good. Now, I cannot say the same for the rest of the world of course. People can be...unfair and sometimes cruel about the silliest things. But I give you my word that this is a safe place for you, Denzel. You can be or wear absolutely anything you’d like here without any judgment.” Andrea solemnly holds out a hand, pinky extended.</p><p>It’s hardly the first time Andrea’s offered a safe space to a lost or questioning soul. Sure, Denzel’s younger than most of them by half, but that hardly matters in Andrea’s eyes. Especially when the young boy reaches back after a moments hesitation to lock fingers with him. Eyes wide and uncertain. But trusting too.</p><p>“Now then. Would you like to give it a try after all?” Andrea asks, words brightening with a grin when he sees Denzel reaching for the material draped over his knee even before he can finish the question.</p><p>Andrea isn’t at all surprised when the kids talk him into getting involved after a few little rounds. He’d meant it, that it’d been a while since he’s had a chance to dress up. And it’s been quite a time since he got to perform in front of such a sweetly enthusiastic audience.</p><p>They wind up having so much fun, darting back and forth from the bedroom and back in increasingly silly and outrageous outfits that Andrea nearly misses Tifa’s text about being on her way.</p><p>So they call their dress up fun to a halt for now and Andi sets the kids up in the kitchen with the simple icing they threw together. To color it and decorate as many cookies as they wanted while they waited for Tifa to show up. They don’t get too far into it before the knock sounds at the door and Andrea calls for her to enter from where he’s giving the kids a hand getting ‘the <em>right</em>’ color of blue.</p><p>“Wow. It smells amazing in here! Did you guys bake?” Tifa’s voice sounds almost as soon as the door clicks shut. The kids beam at each other clearly pleased.</p><p>“Yeah! Come and see, Tifa!” Denzel calls to her. Tifa appears in the doorway, looking a little worn down and tired but she lights up easily when she sees the kids again. As well as their hard work.</p><p>“Decorating them and everything too, huh? I love the colors.” Tifa says, accepting a slightly sticky side hug from each of them. Her gaze turns to Andrea, red eyes swimming with gratitude. “Thanks for doing all this Andi.”</p><p>“No trouble at all. We’ve had a lot of fun this afternoon, I think.”</p><p>“Yeah! Tifa you should see the pictures we took. We got to dress up and then we put on a bit show and-”</p><p>As Marlene and Denzel both drag Tifa down to sit with them and chat, Andrea slips away. Heads back to his bedroom to tidy up the clothes strewn here and there. Laughs a little at the mess, but the smiles on the kids faces were more than worth it in his eyes. Besides, he’s certainly made more of a mess in here himself in the past.</p><p>By the time he’s finished they’ve exhausted their batches of cookies, but not the icing. So Andrea packs it up for them to take home for the next time they get up to baking things together. Tifa’d brought the kids homework along with her, saying they probably wouldn’t be heading home too soon since she’s waiting on a call from an electrician to come take a look at the oven. The kids seem put out about having to do work after so much fun, but they settle in quick enough. Marlene sprawls out on the floor with her things scattered about. Denzel curls up on one end of the couch with a book for a report and Tifa nestles opposite him fiddling on her phone. Andrea grabs up some of his novels and lays them on the coffee table in offering, settling into his chair with one he’s been slowly picking his way through.</p><p>An hour or so drifts by in relative peace. Mostly broken by the odd question from Marlene or Denzel when they’re stuck or want the grown ups to look at something. There’s a familiar distant rumble outside and Denzel perks up from where he’s still tucked up on the couch with his book.</p><p>“Is that Cloud?”</p><p>“Probably. I told him where we’d be.” Tifa replies with a smile when the boy starts wiggling to get himself free from the veritable nest of throw pillows he’d built himself. He’s still not quick enough to beat Cloud before the blond comes through the door. The fall of his boots quick and heavy against the floor as he appears a moment later at the end of the hall.</p><p>There’s something just a touch frantic in Cloud’s eyes. Wild and bright, tension threaded through lean muscles. But Andrea catches the way his attention magnets towards Tifa. Lingers. Searching. The next breath he takes is almost audible. Shaken and relieved too. His shoulders slumping with it. The kids are on him in the next moment, dragging his attention down to them. Marlene wrapping around one of his arms as she rocks on her heels. Denzel stopping not even a foot from Cloud with a bright smile on his face as they both welcome him home.</p><p>There’s still that touch of shaking worry in Cloud’s eyes as he looks the kids over in turn. Subtle perhaps, like a lot of things about Cloud. Simultaneously sweet and heartbreaking.</p><p>“Hey, welcome back.” Tifa calls when there’s a lull in the kid’s excitement. Her voice pulling Cloud’s attention back to her immediately. A dozen things flickering through his face before he nods, slow and careful.</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>“Cloud you should come see. We got to bake cookies today!”</p><p>“Okay, okay. Just give me a minute.” Cloud’s gaze flickers to Andrea finally. Something sheepish in the light of his eyes. “Sorry for just barging in.”</p><p>“Not at all.” Andrea says. Immediate and even as he sets his book aside, getting to his feet. “Denzel, Marlene, would you be dears and lend me a hand. We should get those scrumptious cookies of yours packed up too.”</p><p>They both break away from Cloud with a little reluctance before hurrying off into the kitchen ahead of Andrea. The dancer trails them, pointing out the cupboard with the Tupperware in it to Marlene when she asks.</p><p>Andrea lingers near the doorway. Close enough he can catch the murmur of both Tifa and Cloud’s voices.</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p>“Better than I was.” Tifa assures him. Andrea can hear the faint tired smile in her voice.</p><p>“What happened?”</p><p>It’s subtle, quiet. But even so Andrea catches that low, dark, dangerous note underscoring Cloud’s voice. Something fierce and protective. Sends an animal shiver down his spine. Makes him glance back into the room. Tifa’s gotten up now too. Standing close to Cloud, who has a hand on her shoulder. Tifa clearly hears that tone in Cloud’s voice too. Surprise only briefly flickering through her eyes before she smiles. Shakes her head.</p><p>“It was just some loose wiring on the stove. I noticed it a while back, but with everything going on...” Andrea sees Cloud’s grip on her tighten, just a touch. The faintest creak of his glove. “I just forgot to get someone to look into it.”</p><p>There’s a silent, thrumming sort of tension hovering in the air around them. Brushes at Andrea’s nerves just a touch. Shatters when Cloud sighs. Hand dropping away from Tifa’s shoulder. Head jerking in not quite a nod. Tifa’s expression twists a little. That odd, sympathetic tilt to it as she watches the other.</p><p>“It’s okay Cloud. Really.” There’s a buzzing noise and Tifa plucks her phone out from her pants pocket. Glances at it then sighs. “I need to be getting back soon anyway. Electrician should be there soon.”</p><p>“I’ll go take care of it.” Cloud volunteers immediately and Tifa blinks at him, startled.</p><p>“Oh, no. I can do it Cloud. You just got back after all. I’m sure you’re tired.”</p><p>“Not really.” Cloud grumbles, the edge of something in his voice. But again Tifa just smiles at him. Faint but present. Andrea can’t see Cloud’s face but he just knows the two of them are sharing one of their customary Looks. Sees Cloud fold beneath whatever’d pass between them after a moment. “Fine. Call me if you need to.”</p><p>“The kids really missed you.” Tifa deflects easily, giving him a little nudge towards the kitchen. Her eyes catch on Andrea and her smile brightens a little. “Why don’t you all talk it over? I’m thinking tonight's a good takeout night. Andi, do you want to join us?”</p><p>“I’d love to. Do you want to eat here? I certainly don’t mind.”</p><p>“That sounds great.” Tifa says, heading towards the door, voice rising a little as she goes. “Thanks again! Hopefully this won’t take too long.”</p><p>Cloud turns to watch her go and Andrea’s not quite sure what to make of the look on his face. Something worried and exhausted. Shadows dancing dark behind his usually bright eyes. Cautious, Andrea steps out into the living room. Smiles a little when it seems enough to drag Cloud’s attention to him.</p><p>“Welcome back.” Andrea says quietly. Cloud stares at him. Something new ghosting over his face but still just as inscrutable. Then he straightens a little, jerking his head towards the still open bedroom door.</p><p>“You got a minute?”</p><p>Odd. Something uneasy stirs in Andrea’s gut but he nods and follows the other’s lead. Cloud closes the door behind them. Not all the way, leaves a sliver through which Andrea can still hear the kids chatting away. But his attention is on Cloud as the other turns to him.</p><p>“Cloud?” Andrea pries gently. Doesn’t like that he doesn’t know what’s going on. “What’s the matter?”</p><p>“Nothin’.” Cloud replies, voice oddly stilted. Quiet, even for him. Before Andrea can ask, can prod further, Cloud stepping towards him. Reaching out and on instinct Andrea reaches back. Pulls him close and tight into the circle of his arms when Cloud’s arms fall around his waist. There’s something stiff about the way Cloud’s holding himself. This whole moment feels...off. And Andrea hates it just a little for that. Cloud’s home again and safe, so why does something feel wrong.</p><p>“Are you hurt?” He questions softly, but Cloud just shakes his head.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>There’s something jagged beneath his words. To the soft lilt of his voice. A faint waver in his breath. It all pokes and prods at Andrea’s mind until something painful slips into place. Feels like a damn fool for it not clicking earlier.</p><p>Cloud and Tifa shared the same trauma. Losing their home. God, that must’ve been a jarring, horrifying call to get when he’d been away. Something in Andrea’s chest cracks. Painful and sharp even as he gently curls his arms around Cloud tighter in turn. Pulls him in a touch closer.</p><p>“It’s alright sweetheart.” Andrea hushes him gently. Reaching up to comb fingers through Cloud’s feathery hair. “Only injury was the stove and I believe Tifa mentioned wanting to replace it anyway, didn’t she?”</p><p>Cloud makes a sound too stiff and painful to be a laugh. “Guess so.”</p><p>Andrea gently scratches at Cloud’s scalp with his nails. Thumb pressing the corded tension threading through the blond’s neck. Keeps the other close until finally Cloud takes a step back. Doesn’t pull away entirely though. His gaze wanders. Looking at Andrea but not quite meeting his gaze.</p><p>“Thanks.” Cloud says, the word little more than a weary breath. Andrea just shakes his head.</p><p>“No need to thank me, darling. We all have our off moments-”</p><p>“No. I-. I mean for being there for her. Taking care of the kids.” Cloud’s mouth skews sideways into a frown. Furrow between his eyes as he speaks. “You didn’t have to do all that.”</p><p>Cloud’s words sting more than a touch. Certainly more than Andrea expected. The dancer frowns a little, “You really think I’d be so callous as to ignore something like this?”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes snap to his. Wide and startled. The first time he’s met Andrea’s eyes properly today since he walked through the front door. Something icy slithers down Andrea’s spine when he realizes the shadows in Cloud’s eyes aren’t just shadows. That his usual focus isn’t quite all there. Oh, god. How long has he been hovering so close to drifting?</p><p>“That’s not what I meant.” Cloud says, almost too fast. Words near tripping over themselves in his apparent need to get them out. Andrea feels Cloud’s fingers seize. Sudden and spastic against his back. Cloud fumbles and fights himself for words, but when he can’t manage it he lets out a shuddering breath. “Sorry.”</p><p>“No. I shouldn’t have put words in your mouth, Cloud. I-”</p><p>“You didn’t.” Cloud cuts him off. Words and tone a touch too sharp. Like shattered glass. Needles at Andrea painfully as the other continues. Voice a hushed, too quick murmur. A tremble to his hands as they fall against the dancer’s chest. Curling tight. Though whether that’s to keep Andrea close or a bid to stop the shaking, Andrea’s not sure. “ ‘m sorry Andrea-”</p><p>Oh. The poor boy’s starting to spiral. Andrea doesn’t know why or what’s caused it. But he can see it. Building like a storm in the back of his flickering gaze. Andrea catches his face between his hands. Cradling him close and still, brushing soothing fingers along his skin.</p><p>“Cloud. Look at me a minute. Please?” Andrea begs when Cloud just hunches in on himself a little further. But Andrea holds onto him, keeps him close. Coaxing him with gentle touches and tender pleas until those two-toned eyes flicker to him. Unsteady, yes, but at least Cloud’s looking at him now. Andrea pulls on a careful smile. “It’s okay. We’re okay. Things are just a little strung out because of the accident, hmm?”</p><p>Cloud’s expression fragments, subtle, yet sharp. Clearly the accident at Seventh Heaven is bothering him more than he’s willing to admit. But Andrea’s so sure there’s something more to it than that.</p><p>Something’s wrong.</p><p>Andrea can feel it. Like an itch tingling at the back of his neck. Can still feel that odd tremor in Cloud’s hands as they curl against his chest. Something’s troubling him. Or rather <em>been</em> troubling him for days now. Andrea remembers that odd, distant shadow in Cloud’s eyes when he’d gotten back from Midgar.</p><p>The fact it’s still there, perhaps even <em>worse</em> now, is worrying. In a way Andrea can’t entirely put a name to.</p><p>“...Did something else happen? Out on your job?”</p><p>“Nothing worse ‘n usual.”</p><p>Andrea frowns a little, humming quietly. Knows it pointless to argue that, whatever horrors Cloud’s been throwing himself headfirst into are likely so much worse than anyone should ever have to deal with. But right now that’s not going to get them anywhere. And with Cloud in such an odd, fragile state of mind, Andrea doesn’t want to push too hard. Better to grab hold of whatever Cloud’s offering him than reach for something else. Still if that’s true, that nothing out of the awful ordinary happened, then what’s causing Cloud so much distress. Andrea bites the edge of his lips. Supposes it could be that everything’s finally started to compound. All the stress and exhaustion Cloud’s been pushing himself into finally starting to crack through those thick walls of his.</p><p>Andrea had worried it’d happen sooner or later. It’s why he’s been so fretful that Cloud’s not giving himself a proper chance to rest. To process. Keeps moving and pushing forward like...</p><p>Like if he stops he’s going to run in the opposite direction.</p><p>Andrea’s grip on the other tightens reflexively. Something sharp and sudden and unnameable biting at the fringes of his heart. The urge to run isn’t an impulse Andrea can say he’s ever wrestled with. Caution, perhaps. Rushing into things in his younger days, certainly. But this is one of Cloud’s many battles that he doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to empathize with.</p><p>All he can do, Andrea supposes, is what Cloud asked of him. What Andrea himself had promised. To stand beside him. With him. To hold Cloud steady so that he won’t run when it all gets to be too much.</p><p>Which it certainly seems to be right now. The odd sparking energy drifting around Cloud is almost painful. Pushing Andrea away and pulling him closer all in one breath. One heartbeat. Andrea catches Cloud taking a shaky, but steadying breath. Sees his jaw clench. Focus wavering as it drops almost sightless towards Andrea’s neck. But the dancer knows Cloud’s not looking at him. Not really. Cloud’s mind threatening to drag him off to those awful dark corners Andrea still has no names or answers for.</p><p>“I-. I’m-”</p><p>“You’re here.” Andrea cuts in gently. Soothing as he curls a hand against the side of Cloud’s face. Brushes a thumb just beneath one of his eyes. Smile warn, if a little wan when Cloud’s flickering attention drifts back to him. Lingers. “You’re here, Cloud. Right here with me.”</p><p>Andrea reaches his other hand and catches one of Cloud’s gently. Tugging it over to press over his heart. Careful to regulate his breathing. To be calm as he takes another unsteady breath. Hums gently as slowly, carefully, Cloud’s hand uncurls from it’s fist. Eases out until the whole of it is pressed in a wide, flat arch.</p><p>“...Yeah.” Cloud manages after a moment and Andrea could damn near cry for the light that flickers back into Cloud’s eyes. The way he sounds like he’s pulled himself back to this moment. Steady and certain and<em> god</em>. Andrea adores him. Is in awe of him. This beautiful, impossible man who looks at him-<em> really</em> looks at him- and gives him that breathtakingly, fragile whisper of a smile. “Yeah, I am.”</p><p>Andrea dips. Nudging at Cloud’s nose gently with his. Smiles when the other blinks up at him before he leans in. Pressing his lips gently to the others. Cloud makes a quiet, surprised noise. Still for a moment beneath Andrea’s touch before he moves. The hand he doesn’t have over Andrea’s heart drags up. Curling around the dancers neck pulling him close even as Andrea drops his arms around Cloud’s lean waist to do the same.</p><p>“You’re here, my Cloud.” Andrea murmurs, drifting no more than an inch away from Cloud’s lips to speak. Watches those gorgeous eyes and the light in them is almost enough to have <em>him</em> start trembling. <em>He’s here. He’s safe</em>. “I have you. I see you-”</p><p>It’s as though some dam in Cloud shatters. Something crackling in the air between them as Cloud makes a low, hungry noise deep in his chest. Surges against the dancer in a way that would’ve surely sent him stumbling if not for Cloud’s grip on him. Fingers curling tight into his shirt over his head. Arm around his neck pulling him impossibly closer.</p><p>Andrea groans, shuddering. Lips parting beneath the press of Cloud’s tongue without thought. Hands fisting into the heavy wool of Cloud’s top in an effort to steady himself. It almost doesn’t end up doing any good. There’s a brush of cool leather against the skin of his hip where he’s shirt has ridden up. Chases a faintly startled but intent noise from Andrea’s nose. <em>God</em>-</p><p>“<em>Cloud?</em>”</p><p>The fact that Cloud doesn’t immediately spring back as he’s so often want to do when they’re interrupted by others stirs something deep in Andrea’s gut. Instead the blond’s grip tightens against his skin. Brief as the low, irate noise he makes, still pressed right against Andrea. Cloud shoulders sag, a sigh dragging from him as he finally- <em>slowly</em>- pulls back.</p><p>“Yeah?” Cloud calls, a faint edge of roughness to his voice that sends a shiver through Andrea. As it stands it feels a little like his nerves are coated in static. Makes his breath fall a touch too hard. A gentle, throbbing soreness around his mouth. Thoughtless he catches one of Cloud’s hands as the other turns towards the door as it creaks open gently. Denzel’s head pops around the edge, a slightly uncertain furrow between his eyes.</p><p>“Um. Tifa said we were gonna do takeout?” Cloud nods and the boy lights up, “So like, anything?”</p><p>“Yeah. Go find out what Marlene wants and write it down for me.”</p><p>“Okay!”</p><p>Denzel dashes off quick as a flash and it isn’t until Cloud tugs that Andrea realizes he never let the other go. He does so immediately, fully expecting Cloud to follow after the boy. But he doesn’t. Glances back at Andrea something flicker in his eyes. Quiet and almost pained as he sighs.</p><p>“Sorry...”</p><p>“I’m not.” Andrea replies evenly. Enjoyed the flash spark of surprise that ripples through Cloud’s expression. Gives him that sweet, wide eyed look Andrea treasures so much even if only for a moment. Oh, and he really doesn’t think that hint of color in Cloud’s cheeks is from the setting sun outside.</p><p>Of course it’s Cloud and more to the point. It’s Cloud who’s been reminded they’re very much <em>not</em> alone. So he ducks his head and gets shy. Rubbing the back of his neck as he asks. “You wanna get curry or whatever?”</p><p>“Sure that’s not too far?” Andrea asks, because most of the joints he knows of are a fair ways away from his apartment. Apparently his concerns aren’t the same for Cloud because the blond just huffs.</p><p>“Trust me. The kid’s'll have me driving halfway across the city anyway.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles. Silly, sweet, wonderful boy. Doesn’t doubt for a moment that this man’d go to the end of the Planet for those kids if they only asked. “Sounds lovely then.”</p><p>Cloud nods and reaches for his back pocket. He fumbles a minute before letting out a low, defeated groan.</p><p>“Shit. I forgot my phone on Fenrir. You mind messaging Tifa?”</p><p>“Not at all.”</p><p>To Andrea’s surprise the kids stick around the apartment with him rather than running with Cloud to swing by the various restaurants for their orders. But they do, flipping through the pictures Andrea took during their early fun with him and picking out ones they want to keep or share around.</p><p>Tifa and Cloud both come back roughly around the same time and they all settle in the living room for what turns out to be quite the feast. There’s much talk and laughter between bites. Conversation drifting easily between them all- save Cloud’s usual taciturn quiet of course. But the kids tell them about the fun they’ve had and about school. Tifa reports that it’s going to take a bit of work, but the bar’ll be fixed within the week and she’s even going to tackle some of those other renovations she’s been planning for months now.. Andrea tells them about the recital and his new class.</p><p>As the evening winds on both the kids start to drift. Marlene first, tucked up on the couch beside Denzel. Though with how much whirlwind enthusiasm she poured into everything they did that day, Andrea can’t say he’s too surprised she’s worn herself out by the time the others start packing up to go.</p><p>With a sigh Cloud bends. Plucking the girl up into his arms with a gentle ease that speaks of a long gotten habit.</p><p>“C’mon kiddo. Time to get you to bed.”</p><p>Marlene mumbles sleepily. Arms sliding up to curl around Cloud’s neck, face burrowing into the heavy, dark material of his shirt. Mutters something indistinct that makes those pretty eyes roll.</p><p>“Roger. Soon as we get home.”</p><p>Andrea catches a flicker of the pleased, sleepy grin Marlene gives at the blond’s acquiescence to whatever she’d said. Denzel hauls his and Marlene’s school things out to the truck first then comes back for the various left overs as Tifa grabs one of the cookie containers the kid’s had filled. The other Marlene had insisted Andrea share with his Flowers.</p><p>“Good night Andi. Thanks for everything today.” Tifa says, toing on her shoes and hugging him tight. Andrea squeezes her back just as hard.</p><p>“Take care of yourself alright? If you need a hand with renovations or anything else let me know.”</p><p>“I will.”</p><p>“Oh. Denzel?” Andrea calls out, to where the boy’s hovering just at the bottom of the steps. He turns to look at Andrea. “You know the thing we talked about earlier?”</p><p>“Uh huh?”</p><p>“That stands beyond today as well. Whenever you’d like to have a bit of ‘silly’ fun, consider my door open.”</p><p>Denzel’s not the only one apparently surprised by the offer. Andrea can see flickers of it in both Tifa and Cloud’s faces too. But Denzel’s melts quickly into understanding. Offering Andrea one of the sweet, lopsided grins.</p><p>“Okay. Thanks, Andi.”</p><p>“What time are you off tomorrow?” Cloud asks as Tifa waves them another good night and tromps off down the stairs to head to the truck with Denzel. Andrea smiles, leaning against the doorframe.</p><p>“It's wednesday tomorrow isn’t it?” Cloud nods and the dancer hums. “Well my classes are done by noon, but I’ve got a meeting with my dear Claude and Lucia after. Shouldn’t be later than three or four though.”</p><p>“Could I stop by?” Cloud asks, far too hesitant for Andrea’s liking. Reaches out to catch Cloud’s free hand and squeezes.</p><p>“My doors always open for you Cloud.” Andrea says, staring into those gorgeous eyes. Smiling when the light in them flickers soft. The blond nods, something quietly considering on his face before he moves. Shifting Marlene against him just a little as he moves. Leans in close and before Andrea realizes what’s happening Cloud’s shifting away from the gentle kiss he just placed on his cheek.</p><p>“Thanks.” Cloud murmurs, still close enough Andrea can feel the brush of the words against his cheek. Andrea can’t help but think it’s a little unfair. Making his heart do goddamn gymnastics in his chest and then walking away like he is. Andrea watches and Cloud carefully maneuvers Marlene into the truck alongside Denzel before slinging himself over Fenrir. Tifa waves from the driver's seat and Andrea barely has the presence of mind to return the gesture. Watches as they all pull away.</p><p>With a shuddering sigh Andrea casts his gaze towards the heavens. To the stars sparkling high above. Beautiful and untouchable as ever. He’s not sure how long he lingers there. Basking in the cool air against the heat hovering just beneath his skin. Hell, just before he turns to duck inside, Andrea could swear he sees one of the dainty silver lights fall from its place. A brief, arching line of pale silver cutting across the black velvet night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Holy shit gang. We're at chapter 30. CHAPTER. 30. THIRTY. XXX (and yes I'm disappointed that I didn't squeeze smut in here but alas. Maybe next chapter...). But like. Do you realize how MAD this is??? Do you realize we crossed gd. 20K hits on this sudden behemoth??? When will it's HP drop to 0???</p><p>Again: If you're over 21 and wanna come chill on Mount Rhife with us, reach out on twitter to either @moosephu or myself @lunae_izunia<br/>But seriously. I adore you all. Deeply in the depths of my little black heart. Thank you all for the support and love you've shown this fic this far. I hope that you continue to enjoy as we wind out way forward.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Ruffled Feathers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hiiiii~ It's me again. ^^" Soooo it's been over a month since the last chapter...</p><p>And I honestly don't have a reason? Nor am I going to make excuses or say sorry ^^" Guess my brain just needed a break to figure out where we're going from here and thanks to the stupendous, lovely and WONDEFUL Avasti and the outrageous support of the incredible Discord chatroom I think we've finally got all the ingredients we need to make the rest of this gd cake! *victory fanfare* So. I'm not going to promise like...faster updates or anything like. But just know that Moon actually has a gd REAL plan for all this madness now so...expect things to be movin' and moving quick after this chapter. This was sort of my last...buffer, if you will before the Plot really kicks in.</p><p>I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to the comments last time- I have seen and read all of them dozens of times in the interm- please know that I love and appreciate every single one of you to the depths of my heart. Your words and support and love for this story keep this crazy candle burning. &lt;3 I will work at getting back to you still- just have a lil more patience if you will &lt;3</p><p>Anyway! This is long and rambly and I've kept y'all waiting a while. Enjoy some fluff- both metaphorical and literal. Love you all.</p><p>Edit: OH! And gentle reminder that Rhife Discord is TOTALLY A THING and we'd love to have you join us to scream about the boys and things. You can reach out to @Moosephu or myself (@lunae_izunia) on Twitter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Uh oh. That’s never a good look on you. What’s going on?”</p><p>Andrea drags his focus away from his phone, cradled in hand. Can feel the furrow on his brow even as he shoots Claude an apologetic smile. They’d just wrapped up their meet with Lucia and Andrea had pulled out his phone to contact Cloud and let him know, only to find a message from the blond already waiting for him.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Not gonna make it over. Got some stuff to take care of here.</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“I’d planned on meeting Cloud after this, but it seems something came up.” Andrea replies.</p><p>“That’s too bad.” Claude replies, sounding genuinely put out on his behalf. He tips his head, a questioning smile tucked in the corner of his mouth “You wanna go out and do something fun then?”</p><p>Andrea chuckles and shrugs, going to answer, but his phone chirps again before he can. Dragging his attention back. Another needle to his heart when he sees the message, hurrying to answer.</p><p><strong>Sorry</strong>.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Nothing to apologize for. I hope everyone’s alright.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Let me know if there’s anything I can do.</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Andrea sends his reply off with a sigh. Can feel the frown hovering on his face as he sweeps a thumb absently against the side of the screen. He sincerely hopes that Tifa’s doing alright- or at least as alright as she can be. And the kids, too. Denzel’d seemed the more shaken of the two of them, but even so. Still, he doesn’t want to pry into their lives, it isn’t his place no matter his relationship to Cloud or his family. So he’ll just have to wait for word.</p><p>The sudden shift of his day is unfortunate for more than a few reasons. Not the least of which was the fact Andrea’d intended to ask him about his pilot friend. Another night of mulling things over hadn’t brought him any closer to an answer. Nor had tapping his various resources for the dozenth time.</p><p>Instead, it seemed once again, he’d have to turn to Cloud. To help with his rather nasty sewer rat problem.</p><p>Andrea pillows a cheek on his fist. How odd it is. That things have apparently come full circle in this regard. Strange to think back on that night. When Cloud had wandered unexpectedly into Wall Market. Into the Madame’s parlour then by proxy into the Colosseum. Stranger still, perhaps, that Andrea’d been convinced all he’d wanted from Cloud back then was his inherent usefulness. Ridiculous that he’d tried to convince himself of that at all. Because it hadn’t lasted longer than a dance...</p><p>Even less than, if Andrea’s entirely honest with himself.</p><p>“Andi...?”</p><p>Andrea blinks himself from his musings, glancing up at his friend. Claude’s watching him with a faint etch of worry across his face. But there’s understanding there too. Andrea berates himself internally and straightens up</p><p>“I’m sorry Claude. I’ve been terrible company today.” His friend just smiles, more of that too sweet understanding on his face as he shakes his head. Andrea chuckles. “I would like a break. Getting out of my head can only be a good thing frankly.”</p><p>“If you’re sure...” There’s a touch of hesitance in Claude’s voice as he says it. An opening Andrea supposes. A silent offer to open up if he wants to. He doesn’t. Not really. Doesn’t see the need for it, he’s not the one under duress at the moment. Claude hums and gets to his feet, starting to gather up their things. “Come on, then. Harlow got in some new things that I’ve been dying to check out.”</p><p>Andrea’s not even <em>slightly</em> surprised that they end up leaving Harlow’s well over an hour later both having added to their repertoires. His long time cohorts are the best-worst influences sometimes. Claude more or less invites himself over to the apartment, but Andrea can’t say he minds much. The company’s done a lot of good keeping him focused and in the moment. Rather than drifting towards the vague worry that he hasn’t heard from Cloud again.</p><p>He tucks his latest acquisitions away and the two of them settle comfortably in the living room. Andrea’s hauled out the dreaded envelope again, one last futile attempt for an answer he supposes. Trying to keep his mind from wandering. He’ll probably have to start digging through his recital notes again soon though-</p><p>“Hey, Andi?”</p><p>There’s an edge of caution to Claude’s voice as he pipes up. He hasn’t been quiet necessarily, but Andrea has noticed the general lack of chatter from his friend. Andrea glances up.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>Claude isn’t looking at him. Not really. Instead his attention’s on the folder perched in Andrea’s lap. An unusually serious frown marking his face. Andrea sits a little straighter, but before he can ask what’s the matter Claude continues.</p><p>“Do you really have to do all this?”</p><p>Andrea blinks. “What?”</p><p>“With Corneo I mean.” Claude replies, fingers twisting together even as he gestures towards Andrea. “I know why you want to, but...”</p><p>Andrea can’t help the brief flicker of a frown that mars his expression. Because Claude knows him almost better than anyone else by now. Understands the drive that’s been fuelling Andrea along all these years now. Since before Meteorfall. Nearly from the time he’d taken over the Inn as a whole. But he’s so close now. So close to finally realizing that long held ambition. To dropping the curtain over that final, vile performance that had been his life. Andrea can admit, even if only to himself and only briefly at that, that Claude wavering on this so close to the end hurts.</p><p>But still, Andrea knows it’s unfair to expect others to hold his burdens on their shoulders. He’s the one who dove headfirst into the muck and mire of Corneo’s empire. Youth and naivety be damned, he hadn’t been stupid enough to turn a blind eye to what he was doing.</p><p>Claude’s not done though, apparently. Shifting forward on his spot on the couch. Bracing his arms over his knees as he watches Andrea.</p><p>“You know all of us would help you. Pitch in as much as we could.” There’s nothing but sincerity behind the offer. “I know the Inn was your baby, but I also know it wasn’t just me who called it home.”</p><p>“I know, Claude. That’s part of the reason I want it all back so badly. But it’s...” Andrea hates admitting this aloud. Even to himself. Because the Inn was his. It <em>was</em> dammit. As much as anything ever could be down in that dark little corner of the world. It was his and he’d lost it and he wants it back-</p><p>Andrea reels himself back in carefully. Uncurls his hands from the fists they’d twisted into on his lap. Breathes around the knot in his throat carefully. It’s so close now. So close he can see it hovering on the horizon.</p><p>And in so many ways that’s what’s making this last push so damn hard. All these unforeseen delays pinning him in place. He hates it, but he also knows it’ll be over soon.</p><p><em>Not soon enough</em>.</p><p>Andrea pushes the thought back for the hundredth time. It’ll be worth all of this in the end. Andrea knows that beyond any doubt. To have his life back. To finally be able to <em>start</em> again. Doing what he loves. Being where he really belongs.</p><p>To get to have <em>his</em> family back...</p><p>A wane, painful smile blossoms on Andrea’s face. Attention drifting, landing almost by habit now on his rose. Pretty and near glowing in the late afternoon sun.</p><p>“It’s never going to <em>be</em> home for me. Not so long as his disgusting shadow’s sitting at my back.”</p><p>“I know.” That sweet twist of sympathy and concern on Claude’s face makes a new part of Andrea ache. “Figured it was worth a try. You have any luck on the whole Wutai thing?”</p><p>“Perhaps. Now, what have you and Lucia decided on for my darling Junior’s looks?”</p><p>Andrea’s had enough of wallowing in his own miseries for now. No sense in hovering in place when there’s nothing he can do about it. At least not until he finds a chance to talk to Cloud. He just hopes he gets to see him again before the other flits off on another of his jobs.</p><p>Claude’s a darling to indulge him in getting out of his slump. Turning both of their attention easily into plotting even more of the minutia for the recital at large. The outline of it is all there now, solid bones over which they can start draping all the finery and form. It’s always been Andrea’s favourite part of ‘show-biz’ as it were. The lead up. Sure it’s stressful, but the whirlwind energy of excitement, especially in the early parts of it all, have always been something Andrea thrives on.</p><p>It’s enough to keep his mind happily busy for a time. When Claude finally excuses himself for the evening Andrea makes himself keep going. Pushes himself to make supper and take a shower before he finally bends to the urge to message Cloud again. The silence after yesterday is eating at him more than usual. He also sends one off to Tifa, because at least then he’s liable to get something of an answer.</p><p>He winds up tucked up in the chaise under a light throw blanket, novel in hand before he gets a response. From Tifa, unsurprisingly. She assures him that everything’s fine, she’d just needed Cloud’s help getting the old stove out as well as some other things. Now she’s planning to close up shop for a while. Because it’s going to take a few days before they can get a replacement in. By her own admission she needs the break. Andrea’s glad she’s letting herself take one after what’d happened.</p><p>Andrea bids Tifa a cheery goodnight a while later. As well as another promise to find a day to spend time together once everything else has calmed again. He’s idly scanning through one of his more well worn books. He’s read this one dozens of times at least- probably a poor choice for keeping his mind occupied. But the familiarity has been a nice wind down from the daily stress.</p><p>He’s certainly not expecting his phone to start ringing.</p><p>And<em> definitely</em> not expecting it to be Cloud of all people.</p><p>Andrea sets his book aside without marking his page. Doesn’t need to, hasn’t been<em> actually</em> reading it for a good five minutes now at least. Taps the answer button and cradles the phone to his cheek.</p><p>“Cloud?” Even Andrea catches the faint note of worry in his voice. Can feel that irritating furrow between his eyes again.</p><p>“<em>Hey</em>.”</p><p>“Hello to you too.” Andrea replies, smile flickering to brief life on his face despite his lingering concern. “Odd for you to call, my dear. Is everything alright...?”</p><p>“<em>Weren’t you talkin’ to Tifa</em>?”</p><p>“Yes...?” Andrea replies, hesitant, the frown on his face shifting. Deepening a touch with confusion. “But I don’t see how that would’ve been an answer about <em>you</em>.”</p><p>Cloud makes a quiet noise on the other end. Andrea swears he catches a muttered little “<em>Oh</em>.” before there’s a creak and sigh.</p><p>“<em>I’m okay. Just a long day, y’know.</em>”</p><p>Andrea bites absently at the edge of his lips at the sigh in Cloud’s voice. He sounds more than tired. Not a surprise, given what Tifa’d been saying and the fact he’s barely been home a day. But even so. It’s worrying. More so, perhaps, because Cloud’s tricky enough to read when he’s standing in front of Andrea. Let alone just a voice on the other end of the line. So Andrea can’t know if it’s anything more than his usual exhaustion from his jobs and life’s chaotic messiness. Or something more. After all, it’s all too easy to call to mind the distant haze in Cloud’s eyes when they’d been alone yesterday.</p><p>God he hope’s Cloud’s going to take a break alongside Tifa. They both could use it and then some.</p><p>“I’m sure it was.”</p><p>“<em>Sorry.</em> <em>‘Bout today, I mean. I-</em>”</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea cuts him off gently, a smile playing on face despite the quiet exasperation. “I already told you it’s perfectly fine.”</p><p>Cloud grumbles at him. Inaudible so Andrea chooses to take it as one of his more begrudging agreements. Honestly this boy. A flicker of melancholy trickles through Andrea’s thoughts. Sinking him further down into the comfort of the chaise seat. Tucking his knees a little closer to his chest.</p><p>“But, I will admit...” He continues, voice sedate. “It’s good to hear your voice again.”</p><p>There’s another shuffle and creak on Cloud’s end. Then, after a moment or two, Cloud pipes up again, something a touch cautious, but genuine in his voice..</p><p>“<em>How’d things go? Your meeting thing?</em>”</p><p>Andrea blinks, surprised by the question. But it quickly washes out in a wave of warmth. A brighter, softer smile settling itself on his face.</p><p>“It went well. We got a lot done, all things considered. Seems like it’s shaping up to be quite the occasion.”</p><p>“<em>Why doesn’t that surprise me</em>?” Cloud mutters, under his breath, but there’s an edge of something like humour beneath his quiet voice. “<em>Your new class doing okay? Said that started this week, right?</em>”</p><p>“Oh yes. My darling Weeds are doing quite well. Though I do think some of them are a bit. Shocked? By my rather unorthodox methods compared to their usual instructors. Harlow and Maise both are rather sticklers for tradition. So we’ll see how things go.”</p><p>“<em>Not like I know shit about any of it.</em>” Cloud says flatly “<em>They’ll be fine.</em>”</p><p>“Oh? And what makes you say that?” Andrea asks around a chuckle. Arching a brow, a teasing grin on his face. “Seeing into the future are you?”</p><p>Cloud huffs at him and Andrea can easily picture those pretty eyes rolling. But Cloud’s next words have the teasing flicker fading. A wash of warmth and surprise all at once.</p><p>“<em>Nah. But they got you.</em>” Cloud says, without thought. Like it’s obvious. Like he’s not just shaken something deep in Andrea’s chest. “<em>And you’re pretty good at the whole ‘leader’ thing.</em> <em>‘Least in my experience</em>.”</p><p>Andrea has to close his eyes. Breathe a moment. Knows he’s quiet a few moments too long, when a soft, questioning noise echos down the line. Easy to picture the worry on Cloud’s face. Just makes Cloud’s absence sting all the worse. God he wishes the other were here. But no point in dwelling. Cloud made the effort to reach out to him still after all. And Andrea would be remiss to turn his nose up at that. Especially when Cloud’s already mentioned feeling guilty about things being derailed.</p><p>“Maybe it was just that you’re a very good student, my dear. But thank you.”</p><p>“<em>Mm.</em>”</p><p>Andrea’s starts to ramble a little, talking about his class, his plans, most anything that comes to mind really. It’s nice. Feels like it has been a long time since they talked of ‘nothing’ as it were. Cloud’s generally quiet, but he stays on the line. Indulgent and sweet and <em>god</em> Andrea misses him. Tucks the ache away and stretches a bit in his seat. Starting to feel the aches and weariness of the day catching up to him.</p><p>“Well, either way, we’ll see if they all make the cut. I’ve given myself until Friday to make a final decision.”</p><p>“<em>Oh. Shit uh- what time are you off Friday?</em>”</p><p>Andrea blinks at the sudden sound of Cloud’s voice after the quiet hums and mumbles.</p><p>“Hopefully no later than three- like usual. Why?”</p><p>“<em>Marlene’s been badgering me. Wants to swing by the studio or something. Told her I’d ask.</em>”</p><p>“Ah. I see. Well, I certainly don’t see a problem with that. I’d love to show her around. And she <em>did</em> promise to show me a dance of hers one of these days.”</p><p>“<em>Heh. She mentioned that, too</em>. <em>Kids’ll probably bring this up too, but we’re heading back out the ranch Saturday.</em> <em>Dawn finally laid her eggs and they’re gonna be hatching real soon. Gotta go check on them.</em>”</p><p>“Oh of course. How exciting- spring babies.”</p><p>“<em>You wanna come out again?</em>”</p><p>Andrea’s not sure if he’s surprised by the offer or not. Even less surprised by how damn tempted he is to take Cloud up on it. He knows he really ought to be home this weekend. Puzzling out those last pesky details for his class. But god the temptation of getting out of Edge again- so soon after the last time- is too strong a pull to ignore.</p><p>“<em>I should warn you. It’s probably going to be an overnight thing. The kids are pretty damn excited.</em>”</p><p>“I can imagine so.” It’s almost all <em>too</em> easy to picture Marlene all but vibrating in place about the babies. Especially given the way she’d chatted his ears off about their birds the last time. Andrea chuckles at the image in his head.</p><p>“<em>You don’t have to- or stay out that long if you don’t want. I can always bring you back here whenever</em>. <em>It’s a pretty quick trip if I’m not playing lookout.</em>”</p><p>“I appreciate the offer. But I think having one last hurrah before I sell my soul to this damn performance would be very welcome.”</p><p>“<em>Okay</em>.”</p><p>Andrea’s heart soars a little. Fairly certain he’s not imagining the smile in Cloud’s voice.</p><p>“Any idea how long you’re home for this time....?”</p><p>“<em>Probably Sunday evening if nothing changes. But, uh.</em>” Ah. There it is. Always seems to be a caveat with Cloud’s work these days. “<em>Things are gonna start moving quick. Probably won’t be gone as long, but it’ll be more often.</em>”</p><p>Andrea hums, heart twisting. Makes sense he supposes. Midgar probably housed the largest of these facilities Shinra’s having him hunt down. Still, he can tell it’s already starting to wear at Cloud. Likely doesn’t help that he really hasn’t had a chance to recuperate after his final run through Midgar. Not to mention that worrying haze Andrea’s seen in him just yesterday.</p><p>“Any better idea how much longer it’s going to go on?”</p><p>“<em>Not exactly. Right now there’s about half a dozen they’ve dug up</em>.”</p><p>Shit.</p><p>“I see...”</p><p>“<em>Hey.</em>” There’s a softness to Cloud’s voice. Sweet, worried and gentle all at once. “<em>Don’t....don’t stress about it. Okay? It’s mostly travel time. And they were abandoned years ago.</em>”</p><p>Andrea can admit that Cloud’s words do soothe a little of the worry churning in his gut. But they also spark a question in the back of his mind.</p><p>
  <em>Then why is Cloud doing this?</em>
</p><p>Andrea pushes the thought away. It does no one to expend the time and energy wondering. Cloud’s still being open with him about it all after all. And clearly he’s flying partly blind in this, as more of Shinra’s past sins are unearthed. All Andrea can do is hope that the end is in sight. That all of this doesn’t drag out much longer. Sees the way it’s been wearing on even an Ex-SOLDIER more and more.</p><p>“Well then. In that case I hope I goes quick.”</p><p>“<em>Yeah</em>...” There’s an edge of a sigh to Cloud’s voice as he replies. Hurts more than a little he sounds so tired by the idea already- or rather still. “<em>Anyway uh. Sorry- I’ve probably been keeping you up.</em>”</p><p>A slightly wicked smile darts across Andrea’s lips, but he bites his tongue on the all too easy quip. Doesn’t want to give Cloud a chance to second guess the next time the random urge to call strikes. Teasing him would <em>definitely</em> do that.</p><p>“Not at all. It was wonderful to hear from you, my darling. I’ll see you and Marlene both Friday.”</p><p>“<em>G’night Andrea.</em>”</p><p>There’s a soft kind of quiet to Cloud’s voice. Tender and sweet. It makes Andrea ache and smile all in one breath. Tracing a thumb absently against the edge of his phone.</p><p>“Good night Cloud. Sleep well.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>“I do hope you all have a most excellent weekend. I’ll see you back here Monday.”</p><p>Friday comes even faster than Andrea’d thought it would. His final class, his darling Juniors, are just shuffling out of the practice room. Laurem’s unusually quick to duck out today. He can only imagine she’s still trying to find a proper balance in her life. He hopes it doesn’t end up too much for her to handle. She’s been doing marvellously in the special class. And so have the others frankly. Given a bit of time to adjust to him and each other. To the new rhythm they’re expected to adapt to. Well enough that when Narisa had prodded him at lunch and Andrea had happily reported no need to trim their numbers. The news seemed to please the Director- as much as anything ever does.</p><p>As the last of his Flowers hurry out, Andrea digs his phone out of his bag. Sends a message to Cloud, letting him know things are wrapped up. The other replies quickly. Apparently him and the kids are on their way. So Andrea hurries to meet them out front.</p><p>Denzel scrambles down from his place behind Cloud first. There’s an unusual frown on the boy’s face. Something tense and shadowy as he shuffles away to give Cloud the space to climb down and boost Marlene off as well. The blond’s gaze flickers to the boy, something a little unsure hovering in the fringe of his expression. But Andrea’s attention is swiftly pulled from that to Marlene as the girl waves at him. Bright and enthusiastic as ever.</p><p>“Hi Andi!”</p><p>He returns the gesture with a smile and sketches a bow. “Good day, Marlene. How was school today?”</p><p>“Good!” She replies, a little absent. Busy scanning the area. Andrea chuckled quietly to himself. Her energy is as catchy as ever. Especially when she turns back to him with a wide grin. “This place is cool. Can we go inside?”</p><p>“Of course.” He replies, gesturing with a bit of flare towards the entrance. “If you’ll follow me?”</p><p>Marlene hurries along in his wake, keeping pace with him easily. The other two trail a little. Another flicker of worry in Andrea’s chest when he glances back and sees Denzel hovering close to Cloud. Reminds him a little of that one evening, after the poor boy had a nightmare. He hopes everything’s alright.</p><p>There’s still a few classes running, the Studio typically open into the early hours of the evening. Students bustling about here and there. It’s still a rather small operation, but compared to what it had been when Andrea’d jumped in a year ago, the growth is heartening.</p><p>Andrea takes a bit of a detour. Showing off a few of the other rooms and pointing out important things like the restroom, just in case. They pause outside the largest practice room in the building. Harlow’s running through a few routines with his more senior ballet group and Marlene looks entranced by the elegant steps and lines of the dancer’s forms. So they watch a while, before Andrea gently nudges the girl along before Harlow gets snippy.</p><p>As they head back down the practice room Andrea’s Juniors use, Marlene brings up the subject of the weekend.</p><p>“-said that Dawn laid <em>two </em>eggs this time! I’m so excited to see the babies. They’re <em>so</em> cute! Have you ever seen baby chocobo’s Andi?”</p><p>Andrea hums, thinking back. “You know I’m not sure I have.”</p><p>“Are you gonna come with us again?”</p><p>“I’d love to.”</p><p>Marlene beams, “Then you’ll <em>definitely</em> get to see them.”</p><p>“Sounds like an adventure I’d hate to miss out on.” He replies with a warm laugh. Marlene nods, pleased. Then she crouches down, sliding off the small bag she’s been carrying around and rifling through it. A concentrated furrow on her face. Andrea hums, tipping his head, “Looking for something?”</p><p>“I brought my music with me, but I don’t remember where I put it.”</p><p>“Ah.” Andrea replies, crouching down with her and letting her pass the contents of her bag into his hands as she searches through it. It’s cute the way she chatters away absently about some of the things. A picture she’d drawn in class. A book they’re reading. A few little odds and ends.</p><p>“Andi? You still here? I had a thought- oh!” Claude’s voice echoes suddenly through the room as the other pops his head in. The surprise in his face melting away into a smile as he realizes who’s here. “Well, well this is quite a party.”</p><p>“Oh! Hi Claude!”</p><p>“Hello Miss Marlene. It’s a pleasure to see you again.” Claude replies with a grin, bowing to the girl. Marlene hurries over him as he straightens up again. She’s got the music disc she was looking for in hand and gleefully shoves it towards him.</p><p>“Do you know this song?”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, carefully tucking away the things she’d given him back into her bag and carrying it with him off to the side of the room, setting it out of the way.</p><p>With the girl’s attention now on Claude, Andrea uses the brief respite to edge over towards where Cloud and Denzel are standing by one of the corners. Cloud’s leaning a shoulder against the wall, arms folded loosely over his chest as he eyes the boy. His expression hovering on that hazy border between uncertain and stern.</p><p>“Denzel-”</p><p>“I’m not saying sorry.” Denzel replies, voice a low mutter. His own arms curled around his stomach. A frown on his face and a shadowy furrow on his brow.</p><p>“I know.” There’s an expectant sigh behind Cloud’s voice as he shifts. A serious light sparking in those bright eyes. “But do me a favour and let me deal with things like that. Okay?”</p><p>“But Cloud-” Denzel’s dark eyes dart up towards Cloud. There’s a look of frustration and upset scrawled all across his young features. He struggles for a moment. Like he wants to say something but can’t get it out. Finally he sighs, shoving up off the wall with a sigh. “Whatever.”</p><p>Cloud’s hand twitches against his arm. Some aborted motion as the boy stalks off towards Marlene and Claude. Cloud watches him go, a dozen things darting over his expression before he sighs. Eyes closing as his head thunks back against the wall, something quiet- possibly a curse- under his breath. Andrea sidles up to him carefully. Leaning back against the wall, voice quiet enough that no one else will hear them.</p><p>“Did something happen?”</p><p>“Not really.” Cloud sighs, reach up to rub the back of his neck absently. He shrugs. “Just people talking.”</p><p>“About...?”</p><p>“Me.” Cloud says, after a moments pause. Something flickers behind his expression before it smooths. Into that placid, even mask. The one Andrea certainly doesn’t miss seeing. “’S fine. Just more of the same.”</p><p>The same. The same...what?</p><p>The same lies and vitriol Andrea’d seen spit in Cloud’s face? The ones that still make Andrea’s blood <em>boil</em> to think on? Baseless accusations based on little more than rumours and people’s lingering hatred towards Shinra?</p><p>Can’t say he’s at all surprised that Denzel’d take such an apparent issue with such things. Especially given how clearly and obviously fond he is of Cloud. Andrea understands that reflexive, fiery protectiveness all too well where the other man is concerned.</p><p>Especially given the careful mask Cloud’s tucked himself behind at the moment. Calm and outwardly unaffected. Hurts, because it’s too easy to imagine Cloud hurting behind it.</p><p>Andrea reaches out. Catches Cloud’s hand in his. Just a brief, light twining of their fingers. A gentle squeeze. Smiles when Cloud’s gaze darts to him. The flatness of his expression shifting. Cracking just a little beneath a wash of quiet surprise.</p><p>
  <em>That doesn’t make it okay. They’re wrong. It doesn’t have anything to do with <strong>you</strong>-</em>
</p><p>It’s all things Andrea wants to say. Burning the tip of his tongue and hovering tight in the back of his throat. But he doesn’t let any of it past his lips. Doesn’t want to dredge up other people’s biased stupidity. Especially not here, around the kids, when Cloud’s clearly already having a hard time with Denzel.</p><p>“I’m sorry people can be so ignorant.”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes widen a touch. Flickering. Then they drop as the blond shakes his head faintly. “It’s not that.”</p><p>Andrea hums. Can see all too clearly Cloud doesn’t want to get into it. He can respect that, even if he doesn’t agree with Cloud’s easy dismissal of others cruelty. So instead he just squeezes Cloud’s hand once more and lets it slide from his grip. Worth it, to see that wordless flicker of relief and thanks in Cloud’s eyes.</p><p>Not a moment too soon, either, given the familiar music that lifts bright into the air. They both glance over to see Claude stepping back from the music player, grinning down at Marlene who looks delighted. Claude takes her hand and tugs her gently over towards the centre of the room.</p><p>“Want to join us?” Andrea asks, glancing over at Cloud. The blond scoffs gently and shakes his head.</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>“Suit yourself. You can always change your mind.” Andrea replies with a grin, offering the other a showy wink as he pushes gently off the wall and heads towards the others. Denzel’s shuffled a little out of the way, but he’s watching Claude and Marlene curiously. Andrea edges over him, crouching down to be more on the boy’s level.</p><p>“Ever danced before, Denzel?” Andrea asks, tipping his head with a smile as he looks at the young man. Denzel glances over at him. Shakes his head. “Would you like to give it a try?”</p><p>“I...I guess? But I dunno how.”</p><p>“How fortunate. You’re starting at the same place everyone does then.” Andrea replies with a grin, gesturing for the boy to follow as he heads to where Claude and Marlene are flitting through the familiar steps. Claude looks positively <em>delighted</em> as the girl completes another spin with an adorable flare that has Andrea grinning. Claude applauds her heartily.</p><p>“Bravo! You’re very good at this Miss. Wherever did you learn?”</p><p>Marlene lights up under the praise. Standing tall and proud as she replies. “My daddy taught me! He loves dancing a whole lot. And me ‘m Betty practised a <em>bunch</em>.”</p><p>“Is that right?” There’s a touch of something a little dreamy in Claude’s eyes. Andrea chuckles under his breath. “Well he’s a very good teacher.”</p><p>“Yup!” If anything, Marlene almost looks <em>more</em> pleased by the praise of her father than she was for herself. Andrea gently nudges Denzel towards her, a smile on his face as Marlene and Claude’s attention turns to them.</p><p>“May we join in?” He asks. Not at all surprised at how quickly Marlene latches onto her friend. Obviously pleased Denzel has come to join in the fun.</p><p>“Yeah! It’s way more fun with more people.”</p><p>“Plenty of things in life are.” Andrea agrees with a smile. “Marlene dear, would you be our centre? You did promise to show me your dance after all.”</p><p>It’s a rush of nostalgia, falling into the familiar routine. So ingrained in his muscle memory that Andrea doesn’t even have to think about it. Instead he just gets to have <em>fun</em> with it. Feels like it’s been far too long. Marlene leads them all through the steps with aplomb and a little bit of flare that Andrea positively beams at.</p><p>Andrea catches a glimpse of Cloud watching them all through the mirror’s reflection. Wonders if the other remembers this too. If he recalls correctly, the poor boy’d been rather shell shocked by the Inn’s general atmosphere.</p><p>He still thinks it was one of the most adorable things he has ever seen.</p><p>Denzel’s a good sport about it as they shake things up. Each taking turns taking ‘centre stage’ and even solos as the songs shift. Rather obvious after the first few goes that dancing’s not really Denzel’s ‘thing’ as it were. But he seems to have fun regardless, even just as an observer, and Andrea supposes that’s what’s most important.</p><p>Claude probably helps a lot admittedly. Settling down on the floor beside the boy when Marlene insists on another.</p><p>“Andi mentioned this was your first time trying something like this?” The boy nods, a little shy. Claude’s smile just brightens. “You did very well.”</p><p>“I dunno. Wasn’t really good at it.” Denzel replies, ruffling a hand through the back of his hair. Claude chuckles, leaning his elbows on his raised knees, chin in his hands.</p><p>“You shoulda seen me when Andi first got me in his clutches. I was hopeless. Might as well have had three left feet.”</p><p>Denzel blinks up at the man then a shy smile crosses his face and he shrugs. “You’re real good at it now.”</p><p>“That’s sweet of you. Thank you.” Claude replies, obviously charmed as he shifts to cradle his cheek in one hand. “I had to put a lot of work in. What’s important is that you enjoy whatever you’re doing. Find what you were born for- as it were.”</p><p>Cloud watches the whole thing from his place in the corner. Not even the kid’s prodding and puppy eyes can get him to join in though. But it’s easy to see the quiet fondness hovering in the back of his eyes as he watches. It’s at least an hour, probably more, before he pipes up.</p><p>“Denzel, Marlene. C’mon. We gotta be getting back.”</p><p>“Aww...”</p><p>Andrea’s more than a little flattered by the kids being put out at having to leave. He’d certainly had fun with them both. Though he can feel his daily aches starting to nip at his heels. And his soles. And just...<em>him</em> in general.</p><p>But he still follows along as Cloud shepherds the kids back outside. The sun’s starting to dip down towards the horizon. Denzel and Marlene both head off towards the bike, but Cloud hovers back by Andrea for a minute.</p><p>“Probably gonna be heading out early again.” He says and Andrea nods.</p><p>“I figured as much. Just give me a bit of a heads up, hmm?”</p><p>“Mm. Will do.”</p><p>Andrea smiles and reaches out to brush his fingers against Cloud’s. Feels the other start a little more sharply than normal. It’s not a surprise, not really. An unfamiliar place with plenty of unfamiliar, prying eyes all around. Andrea can more than respect Cloud’s reluctance and aversion to more affectionate displays in public. Still, he can admit it’s hard today, to tuck away the urge to kiss the other. To pull him close. Andrea can admit he’s missed the other rather terribly the last while. Seems to be a common thing these days. No matter the distance or days between.</p><p><em>Tomorrow</em>. Andrea reminds himself firmly. <em>You’ll get to see him plenty tomorrow</em>.</p><p>There’s a twist of something sharp between Cloud’s eyes for a moment. Something that edges all too close to guilt. There’s certainly no need for that. Andrea shifts his weight, nudging the other teasingly with his hip. Chuckles when Cloud’s eyes dart to him.</p><p>“Cloud! Now who’s draggin’ their feet?”</p><p>“Y’know some days I don’t know if she takes after Barret, or if he takes after her.”</p><p>Andrea laughs. Loud and sudden at the groan in Cloud’s voice. Waves the other off with only a little regret as his laughter trails down into chuckles. Bids farewell to the kids too when he catches them waving at him as they all settle once more on Fenrir.</p><p>“Bye Andi! See you tomorrow.”Marlene shouts, just barely audible over the rumble of Fenrir’s engine as Cloud pulls away and races back off down the street. Andrea watches them go with only a little melancholy.</p><p>“Off on another trip?” Claude chimes from somewhere behind Andrea’s shoulder. The dancer hums in agreement and Claude sighs, teasing and exaggerated. Andrea can<em> hear</em> the grin in his voice. “Some folk have all the luck.”</p><p>“I’ll take pictures this time.”</p><p>“Oooh! Goodie. You should see if you can nab some of Cloud. You know Harlow’s not going to stop bothering you about it till you do.”</p><p>“If they could exercise a little bit of patience, perhaps they could see him in person instead.”</p><p>Claude giggles, “Oh that’s almost cruel. They’d pass out.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles. Probably not wrong. Cloud might not tick the shop owner’s usual boxes as it were. But Andrea knows the other well enough to know Cloud’s inherent beauty would more than ‘make up’ for that.</p><p>“Were you looking for me earlier for a reason?” He asks, glancing back at his friend. Claude hums and shrugs.</p><p>“Not really. Just curious why you were still lurking around.”</p><p>“Well, I’m definitely heading home now. Sounds like we’re hitting the road early tomorrow.”</p><p>“I hope you have fun.” Claude says, a grin on his face, but sincere as he waves Andrea off. “I’ll see you Monday!”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>They don’t leave quite as early as they had the last time. Andrea assumes it’s because they don’t plan on making it back home today. Still, it’s before eight that he hears the rumble of an engine outside. But it’s not Fenrir’s. A little surprised, Andrea peaks out his door to see the familiar teal truck as well as another, darker cargo style vehicle. Barret’s in the driver’s seat of that one. Marlene must be ecstatic to have her father home again.</p><p>“My, my. Quite the procession.” Andrea muses as Tifa comes up the walk towards him. She chuckles.</p><p>“Yeah. Barret and Yuffie dropped in unexpectedly on us last night. So we figured we ought to take a couple vehicles out.”</p><p>“Smart. I can imagine things would be a bit cramped otherwise.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Tifa says, something wry and a touch painful in her expression. Andrea hums, a question in the sound but she just shakes her head. “I’ll tell you about it later. You ready to go?"</p><p>“I think so.” Andrea replies, raising the slightly bulky satchel he’s packed up with most everything he could imagine him needing. Tifa seems pleased by its appearance. She nods and Andrea follows her back down towards the truck after locking up. “Is Cloud...?”</p><p>“He’s running an errand. He’ll probably catch up before we hit the city limits. You can tuck that in the back with Denzel.”</p><p>Andrea does as bid, offering the boy a cheery good morning. Seems like he’s a little more himself today. Meeting the dancer with that familiar, slightly shy grin. Andrea climbs up into the passenger seat alongside Tifa. Settling in comfortably as she pulls them back out onto the streets.</p><p>They’re nearing the road that leads out of Edge proper when the radio on the dash crackles to life and Barret’s voice sounds.</p><p>“<em>Yo Tifa</em>!”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“<em>Got some chatter coming through my end. Sounds like the Watch is having some trouble on the perimeter</em>. <em>Don’t sound like much, but still.”</em></p><p>“Got it, I’ll let Cloud know.” As the radio goes quiet again Tifa turns to Andrea. “You mind?”</p><p>She shows him how to free the radio from the holder. Which buttons to push to find Cloud’s frequency. How to start and stop the transmission.</p><p>“Cloud?”</p><p>“<em>Go ahead</em>.”</p><p>“Barret picked up a Watch frequency. They’re right alongside where we’re heading out, so we’re gonna check in.”</p><p>“<em>Copy. I’m just about there.</em>”</p><p>Not two minutes later Fenrir’s turning onto the street just ahead of them as they reach the bridgeway leading out towards Kalm. The highway stretches out, straight and largely empty ahead of them. Tifa turns to gaze out the window and Andrea shifts to do the same. It doesn’t take too long to spot the Watch crew out there. The flat, barren land makes the scattering of people and beasts stick out.</p><p>The radio crackles again.</p><p>“<em>I’m gonna go give them a hand</em>.”</p><p>Tifa doesn’t seem the least bit surprised as she answers Cloud. “Okay. We’ll meet you down there.”</p><p>Andrea’s not entirely sure what he was expecting. But it certainly wasn’t the sight of Cloud streaking ahead of them. Jerking his bike into a sharp, ninety degree turn and <em>launching</em> off the side of the bridgeway. For a moment Andrea’s heart’s in his throat, eyes wide before he sees Fenrir tearing away across ground. A stream of dust billows out behind it as Cloud races away towards the distant flash of gunfire. Weaving his way expertly through scattered barricades and past members of the Watch.</p><p>“<em>Goddammit. Why’s he always—</em>”</p><p>“Exit’s up ahead. Stick with me.” Tifa cuts off Barret’s annoyance with an exasperated roll of her eyes. Still Andrea can feel their own speed pick up a few notches. Certainly eking past the limit. But Tifa keeps a solid handle on the truck as they take the turn a few moments later. Winding down until they reach a point they can break away from the pavement, following in Cloud’s wake.</p><p>The ex-merc’s already in the thick of things of course. With the speed he’d been going, despite them being hot on his trail, Cloud’s already reached the heart of the fight. The thickest cluster of monsters that scatter before Fenrir’s bulk, then fall beneath the glinting sliver of two of Cloud’s swords. He draws them in a single flash of movement from the special compartments that sprout from the sides of his bike. Rather like wings, Andrea supposes.</p><p>Not that he needs them. Cloud already looks like he’s flying as he leaps from Fenrir. Plunging down to sink his blade through one of the creatures. Pinning it in place before it has time to leap at one of the Watch members who’d stumbled. The woman stumbles to her feet as Cloud glances back at her. A moment later she’s rushing away, back towards the apparent command centre Tifa’s driven them to.</p><p>Biggs is there, clearly passing along orders and tactics. All with a familiarity that reminds Andrea that he was part of Sector Seven’s Watch crew- as well as a member of the infamous AVALANCHE. As the newcomer stumbles up to him, Biggs reaches out. Catches her shoulder and steadies her.</p><p>“You alright?”</p><p>“Yeah, fine. But who the hell is that?”</p><p>“Oh right. Forgot you’re a bit of a rookie, aren’t ya Nia?” Biggs asks. A grin on his face as he pats the young woman’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. You’ll learn to love when that pretty mug of his is around.”</p><p>Nia stammers a moment, but her attention’s fixed back on the fighting. Andrea can’t exactly say he blames her. He’s learned himself just how...fascinating it is to see Cloud in battle. As it stands, it’s clear the tide is turning. And quickly, too. People scattering away from where Cloud’s making short work of their foes. Spreading out to deal with more distant enemies. As though he were the calm, but deadly eye of the storm.</p><p>“Decided to come join the party?” Biggs says, turning his relieved smile to them as they climb out of the trucks. Offers them a two fingered salute.</p><p>“You know it!” Barret says with a grin, “Been a while since I got to bash some heads.”</p><p>“Kids, stay with Andi and Biggs please.” Tifa says, tugging on a pair of gloves. The well worn material creaking quietly as she flexes her hands and shakes them out. At her wrists glint two orbs of materia. One blue and one green. Andrea <em>swears</em> he sees a flash of sparks dancing between her fingers.</p><p>“We will!”</p><p>“Back in a bit!” Tifa says cheerily, jogging off towards where Andrea can see the glint of Cloud’s sword as it flashes through the air. Cleaving through yet another foe.</p><p>“You mind givin’ us a hand on this side, Boss?” Biggs asks Barret, as the big man adjusts the gun attachment on his arm. “Pretty sure those two’ve got that end.”</p><p>“Heh. Don’t you worry. I’ll clean this up real quick.” Barret offers with an assured grin as he heads off to where the next largest swarm of foes awaits. His booming voice carries through the air as he barks equal parts encouragement and orders to those fighting.</p><p>Marlene and Denzel both scramble up into the bed of the truck, presumably to get a better view. Biggs wanders over to them, striking up an easy conversation about their trip. Marlene’s certainly the more engaged in it of the two. Denzel’s attention’s largely turned towards the fighting.</p><p>So’s Andrea’s frankly. Watching as Tifa reaches Cloud. Announcing her presence with a kick that sends one of the beasts hurtling across the ground as it attempts to jump Cloud from behind. Cloud glances back at her momentarily. Tifa meets with a grin Andrea can see even from here and they both shift as one. Back to back. Leaving no openings for the circling monsters.</p><p>And that’s not going into how damn beautiful both of them are in their own respective ways. Cloud that unusual mix of raw strength and speed. So much more than one would think him capable of given his weapon of choice.</p><p>Tifa’s even faster.</p><p>Her strength lies in a different form to Cloud’s. She can hit hard, yes. But her true skill lies in her ability to land series of quick blows in succession. Knocking her enemies off balance before finishing them with stronger strikes.</p><p>Biggs wasn’t exaggerating either. Tifa and Cloud make short work of their foes. Cutting through them all with a speed and ease that near defies description. Andrea has thought in the past that seeing the two of them share space is a rather beautiful sight. A dance they’ve clearly long since mastered. Sidestepping and shifting together easily.</p><p>He realizes now that he hadn’t seen <em>anything</em> before this moment.</p><p>They flow together like water. Drifting and slipping in to cover each other’s ‘blind’ spots with such thoughtless grace. So obvious that they know the other’s there. So obvious that they know where they need to be to keep the other safe.</p><p>It’s like <em>trust</em> manifested in physical form.</p><p>That’s what’s truly beautiful about it in Andrea’s eyes.</p><p>Seeing Cloud in combat again also has the added benefit of making Andrea’s insides squirm pleasantly. The rush of heat isn’t quite as. <em>Intense</em>, as it was that trip to Kalm. Perhaps because he’s expecting it this time. But still the dancer bites at the edge of his lips. A rumble of sound in his chest.</p><p>Things are starting to calm on all sides. The sound gunfire not as pervasive as it had been. Much of it’d been lost beneath the rapid fire sound of Barret’s weapon anyway. The man had been eager as anyone to charge head first into the fray. And he certainly has the strength and precision to back up his claims of putting an end to things quickly.</p><p>Cloud and Tifa both finish off their final opponents. Though neither of them actually relax until they’ve scanned the area. See that the others have the stragglers well in hand, so they start to make their way back towards command.</p><p>“T-that was amazing.” Nia says, near as soon as they come into ear shot. “But who <em>are </em>you people?”</p><p>Tifa and Cloud share a look. Something flickering and wry on both their faces before Cloud shrugs.</p><p>“Delivery boy.” He replies. Even and quiet as he sheathes his sword along his back and ducks away towards the truck. The kids both meet him with their usual level of enthusiasm. Chattering away excitedly. Nia stares after him then turns to Tifa, who’s dusting her hands together casually.</p><p>“Bartender. We’re going through renovations right now, but you should stop by Seventh Heaven sometime.” Tifa says, a charming smile fixed on her face. Hands tucked behind her and every bit the unassuming soul she can appear at first glance.</p><p>“I- wait <em>what?</em>”</p><p>Biggs chuckles, clapping Nia on the shoulder again. Then he trots off, following Tifa as she heads for Barret who’s making his way back to them too. Nia’s left floundering, eyes wide and stunned as she looks between both Cloud and the kids and Tifa’s group. Finally she throws up her hands and wanders away to join some of her companions. A makeshift medical station by the looks of it.</p><p>The whole exchange pricks at something in the back of Andrea’s mind. It’s funny, he’s never really thought about it before. Supposes there hasn’t been a reason to. To realize just how... hush-hush Cloud and the others are about who they are. About what they’ve done for the Planet. Granted, he hasn’t met all of them yet. But none of them seem to define themselves by their miraculous feats. Instead they’re content to just. Live. To carve out a little niche for themselves just like everyone else.</p><p>There’s something oddly humbling about that. And perhaps a little sad, too.</p><p>But they seem content- happy even- to avoid the spotlight.</p><p>It’s rather an honour then, Andrea realizes, that he’s been let in as much as he has.</p><p>“Speakin’ of- where’s Wedge?”</p><p>“He took a couple people out to check on another report we got.” Biggs answers Barret’s question easily. But he frowns, eyes darting out towards the rocky crags not too far off. “Though he should be-”</p><p>The calm is shattered by a shout.</p><p>Something seizes tight around Andrea’s wrist. The next moment he finds himself hauled over and tucked between the truck bed and Cloud. The blond's got his weapon drawn again- Andrea hadn’t even seen him reach for it. Hovering carefully in front of Andrea and the kids still tucked down in the truck bed. His attention’s fixed on some point in the distance.</p><p>It takes Andrea a moment, something like adrenaline rushing through his ears. Something in his chest burning a little at Cloud’s gesture. Then he catches an odd, shrieking, grating noise. There’s another shout then from just beyond a ridge of stone. Three people come tumbling into view. Scrambling a moment before they rush towards Edge. Hot on their heels glides a familiar machine.</p><p>Rust has eaten away at the yellow paint. Dented and cracked in places. Deep enough there're visible sparks of the electricity fuling the thing. The blades at the ends of each of its arms look as deadly as ever.</p><p>Oh. Andrea knows <em>exactly</em> what that is. Remembers when Sam’d unveiled his pair of terrors in the colosseum. And the resulting <em>mess</em> as they reigned as champions. Again and again. At least until that all too unexpected evening...</p><p>“That’s one of Shinra’s—”</p><p>“Yeah.” Cloud’s got an edge to his voice. Not worried, but focused. Andrea sees his weight shift, sees him scanning the area around the machine. “Where’s—“</p><p>Another shout, this one louder and more frantic. A moment later a heavy set figure tumbles past the leg of the machine. Andrea’s conviced they only keep their head on sheer dumb luck as the machine jerks and slashes. The saw blade biting deep into the rock just above a red bandana’d head.</p><p>“Wedge!”</p><p>The young man’s name breaks from Cloud, Tifa, Barret and Biggs. Cloud’s entire cadance changes between one breath and the next. Voice pitching into sharp steel. The tone of someone used to being listened to. No questions asked.</p><p>“Barret! Get it’s attention!”</p><p>“Way ahead of ya!” The big man shouts back. His weapon alight with energy. Gathering bright and red. Sparking for a moment before he fires. The blast collides with the machine. Sends it staggering on it’s massive feet. With a groan of metal the thing thrashes, movements surprisingly quick for its size.</p><p>Wedge drops to the ground, arms curled protectively over his head as <em>something</em> ejects from either side of the Cutter’s torso. Glinting metal screaming through the air, sharp and deadly as two smaller blades slide through the air. Sends the closest members of the Watch scattering backwards to get out of range.</p><p>Cloud’s vanished from in front of him. Darting across the barren ground, Tifa hot on his heels. He hears them exchange words, briefly, though none of it really <em>means</em> anything to him. So far on the fringes of this world.</p><p>The pair split apart. Tifa planting her feet, light starting to gather around her clenched fists. Hovering just outside of the fringe of a strange, red mist leaking from beneath the Cutter. The green materia at her wrist glowing brightly. The air sharpens with the scent of ozone. She spins, thrusting one hand out and the next moment there’s a crash of thunder as lightning materializes in the air above the machine and lashes down onto it. Sends it reeling again with a shriek of static just as it’s recovering from Barret’s initial blast and the rain of bullets he’s been showering it with since.</p><p>The Cutter collapses forward, smoking. The scent of burning lifting acrid into the air.</p><p>“Wedge! Move it!” Barret yells. Loud even over the groaning of metal and the roar of an engine. Wedge scrambles backwards on hands and knees. Andrea can tell the man’s exhausted. God knows how far he and his companions had gone, or run to escape this thing.</p><p>What happens next is something Andrea could never have predicted. Happens so fast it’s over almost before Andrea realizes it. And yet it plays and replays in his mind in crystal clear slow motion.</p><p>Cloud charges towards the berserking machine. Fenrir loud even over the bursts of gunfire and shouts. Like the growl of some feral wolf. Darts between Wedge and it. The Cutter lurches back around, the saw blade slicing through the air.</p><p>But it misses.</p><p>It misses because Cloud jams the blade of his sword into the ground and uses it as a brace to fucking <em>lift</em> both it and himself into the air. Pulling the full weight of Fenrir’s girth up to knock the bladed arm away, then slam into one of the Cutter’s legs with a screech of metal. Knocking it off balance before it can take another swing. Fenrir and it hit the ground at near the same moment, Cloud wrenching his blade free of the ground again as the bike skids away from the force of the motion alone.</p><p>Andrea’s glad Biggs and the fighting have both the kids' attention. Because the noise that tears jagged from his chest is <em>definitely</em> not appropriate for innocent ears.</p><p><em>Oh fuck.</em> Andrea thinks, magma igniting in his gut, flooding out into his limbs in a wash of fire. <em>I’ve had my head between those thighs.</em></p><p>And Cloud’s not <em>done</em> either. As Fenrir screeches back across the dry earth Cloud leaps from the seat. Energy sparks and coalesces along the length of his blade. Bright and blue and vibrant even against the morning sky. He raises the sword over his head, tucking into a forward flip so fast he’s little more than a blur of light and black fabric as he slams the full force of his strike directly into the side of the Cutter. Carves the thing nearly in two, as easily as a hot knife slicing through butter.</p><p>Andrea has to lock his knees. Catching himself the way Cloud does when the blond jumps away from the ruined machine. Landing back on solid ground easily- like he hasn’t just ignored all the laws of gravity and- and <em>sense</em> for the past few minutes.</p><p>Indeed as soon as he’s sure the threat is gone- some internal component ruptures with a resounding explosion- Cloud sheathes his weapon. Turning and jogging to where Wedge is still on the ground. Propped up now. But Cloud crouches beside him, one hand raised. Hovering and cautious as he looks the other over.</p><p>Clearly, Andrea’s not the only one shocked by Cloud’s prowess. He can see members of the Watch gazing on in stunned awe and fascination.</p><p>“Holy <em>shit.</em>” The large man who’d returned with Wedge manages after a moment. “Are you’re telling me that twig’s a goddamn SOLDIER—”</p><p>“<em>EX</em>.”</p><p>The remark comes from several different mouths. Sharp and sudden- almost scathing. Protective in a way that sparks something warm in Andrea’s chest. Especially when Barret steps over, resting a large hand on the man’s shoulder.</p><p>“If you got a problem with that- ‘specially after he saved your ass- maybe you oughta be looking for work elsewhere.”</p><p>The man starts, jerking to stare at Barret. Has to look up at him despite the girth and height he has on a lot of people here. “H-huh? Oh- uh. N-no. No I ain’t gotta problem with it. I just-” He gestures, a little helplessly towards where Cloud is. “I’ve seen SOLIDER’s before and they ain’t like him.”</p><p>“And I’ve seen cowards before. Funny how many of ‘em were exactly like you.”</p><p>“Go see Nia, Karl. She’ll get ya patched up.” Biggs cuts in before the indignant fury on Karl’s face can cross his lips. The man snarls and stalks off. Biggs watches him go with a sigh, hands on his hips as he sends Barret a crook, tired smile. “Coulda eased up there boss.”</p><p>“Hmph. I ain’t got time for people’s shit and neither does Spike.” Barret replies, rolling his shoulders. Biggs sighs again, but nods even as he scratches his head.</p><p>“I know. Thanks for the save, by the way.”</p><p>“No problem. Know you all coulda handled it fine.” Barret claps the man on the shoulder and grins. “All wrapped up out here now?”</p><p>“Yup. Well, ‘least me ‘n Wedge are.”</p><p>“Do you guys wanna come out to ranch? We’ve got plenty of room.”</p><p>“Yeah! And we’re gonna go see Dawn’s babies!” Marlene chimes with an excited clap. “You <em>can’t</em> say no to baby chocobos.”</p><p>Biggs laughs, hands falling to his hips. “Fair point Marlene. I’ll see what Wedge thinks.”</p><p>Speaking of, both he and Cloud are making their way back. Other than still looking winded and tired Wedge seems unhurt. Andrea can feel the collective sigh of relief those around him give. Tension dying away into a much more familiar, easy camaraderie.</p><p>As Wedge shuffles forward to stand beside Biggs as the man starts talking to him about coming along, Andrea’s attention falls to Cloud. Probably a terrible idea, considering he has that. That <em>moment</em> playing in his head on loop. Cloud shifts his weight, arms folding over his chest as he cocks a hip. There’s that glow in his eyes again too. Must be tied to the adrenaline of battle as Andrea thought before. Beautiful and enticing all at once. Also really, <em>really</em> not helping right now—</p><p>“Sure! That sounds like loads of fun. And it’ll be nice to get off my feet for a bit.”</p><p>Oh thank god a distraction.</p><p>It’s moments like this Andrea can be extra grateful for his life before. Not his first time engaging in social niceties while hiding a more physical and <em>visceral</em> reaction to something. Not by a long shot. Though he can admit the fact Cloud’s standing less than an arm length away from him is an added ‘challenge’, if you will. Difficult to stifle the urge to just grab the other, haul around the other side of the trucks. Pin him to the cool metal that’s doing exactly nothing to settle the sparking flames hovering low in his gut. Neither are the images his mind’s all too happy to supply.</p><p><em>So much for being less effected</em>. Andrea thinks with a painful sort of wryness.</p><p>“Yeah! You can drive with Daddy and me!” Marlene says, grinning at their two newest party members as Barret lifts her easily from the back of the truck. Denzel scrambles down on his own.</p><p>“Are we going now?”</p><p>“Yep. Everybody get strapped in or Billy’s gonna wonder what happened to us.” Tifa tugs the back door open and ushers Denzel inside the cab. Barret leads his little crew away as Andrea pushes himself up, winding around the front of Tifa’s vehicle. Cloud jogs away from them to retrieve his bike, the watch members also starting to pack up their scattered gear.</p><p>“Denzel, would you hand me my bag?” Andrea asks as he eases back into the passenger seat. The boy passes it over quickly with only a little grunt. Andrea offers him a smile. “Thank you.”</p><p>Cloud pulls up alongside them, weapon vanished back inside its compartment as he iddles there while Barret pulls up on his other side.</p><p>“Yo Tifa- gonna swing by their places. We’ll catch up to ya later.” Barret calls with a wave of his hand. Cloud pauses, straightening a little as he looks over at the gunman.</p><p>“You want me to—?”</p><p>“Get outta of here Spike. I don’t need no damn babysitter.” Barret replies, settling a pair of sunglasses on his face as he grumbles. There’s that unique blend of humor and annoyance in his voice and Cloud rolls his eyes. Barret gives them all one more salute before he heads off back towards Edge. Cloud’s attention turns to Tifa.</p><p>“Ready?”</p><p>“Let’s go.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Pops greets them with that unique warble of his near as soon as they’ve pulled up. The sunny yellow bird hovering close by the fence. Ruffling his feathers and flapping his wings. Andrea feels a little bad that Barret’s group hasn’t caught up with them yet. The dear boy seemed just as attached to Marlene as she is to him after all. Still, Denzel’s quick to hurry over. Clambering up on the fence to pet the bird gently.</p><p>“Hey all! Finally made it?” Chole’s leaning out of the door of the ranch, gap toothed grin just a little shy as she waves at them.</p><p>“Just about. Got a few stragglers catching up.” Tifa calls back, stretching with a groan and faint wince after the long drive. Chole nods and vanishes back inside.</p><p>“Can we go see Dawn?” Denzel asks, bouncing a little on the balls of his feet against the fence as Cloud wanders a little closer. Reaching out an obliging hand when Pops chirps at him. Cloud gives the boy a look.</p><p>“You really wanna do that without Marlene?”</p><p>“Nooo...” Denzel says, half sigh half whine. Cloud huffs, something fond and amused dancing briefly over his face. Jerks his head towards the truck and gives the bird a farewell pat.</p><p>“Let’s get things unload first.”</p><p>Denzel hops down and hurries over to help as they each grab items out of the truck and head over into the house. Billy and Chole are settled in at the table, obviously just finishing up their lunch. Their grandfather, Chocobo Bill, pushes up from the table as they come in.</p><p>“Guest rooms are all cleared out for y’all. Make yourselves nice and comfy.”</p><p>He guides them all anyway, despite the obvious familiarly the others have with the place. He chats at them all too. A familiar drawl to his crackling voice and low, but hearty laughter. The family resemblance to Sam in this man is more than a little striking. Perhaps Andrea’ll have to find a moment to ask. Maybe they know where the wayward Chocobo hand has wound up in the aftermath.</p><p>“We wound up with a few more people than we thought. Hope that’s alright.” Tifa’s smile is a touch sheepish as she sets down the three bag’s she carried in.</p><p>“ ‘Course it is. Y’all know we got plenty of room for ya.” Bill says with a wave of a gnarled hand. “Don’t worry about gettin’ everything sorted yet. I imagine you’ve been itchin’ to see them chicks.”</p><p>“The kids certainly have. Haven’t stopped talking about it the past few days.” Tifa says, nudging Denzel fondly. The boy ducks away from her, grabbing at Cloud’s hand and tugging at him. Cloud sighs but lets himself get pulled along easily enough, the two of them vanishing back down the stairs.</p><p>“That’s real good to hear. They grow quicker with lotsa love ya know.” Bill replies with a crooked, toothy grin. A wink of one of his dark eyes. Makes him look a good deal younger than he is. “Though a bit of good feed never hurt either.”</p><p>Back outside, Cloud and Denzel are both in the pen. Ruffling colorful feathers as some of the birds converge around them. Misty trots up to <em>kweh</em> cheerfully at Tifa, who giggles and gently pushes at the bird’s neck to stop her from trying to preen her hair. Andrea’s pleased to find Pops apparently remembers him. Shuffling over to butt up against his hand as the dancer leans against the fence. Andrea grins and happily indulges his not-so-subtle requests for scratches.</p><p>“Hello sweet boy. How are you?”</p><p>They don’t have to wait long for Barret and the other’s to arrive. But he still hears Denzel grumble “<em>Finally</em>.” Under his breath as they roll in. He scrambles out of the pen after Cloud. Marlene hops out of the truck and comes rushing towards them.</p><p>“You didn’t see them without me, did you!?”</p><p>“No!” Denzel calls back with a roll of his eyes so familiar Andrea has to bite back a laugh. The boy turns to Cloud. “Can we go now?”</p><p>“Mm- <em>oof</em>!”</p><p>Cloud agreement is cut off by a wince as Marlene jumps at him. Cloud reacts instantaneously, reaching back to steady her. Curling his arms beneath her knees as they bend around his sides.</p><p>“Cloud!”</p><p>“What?” Cloud grunts, outwardly annoyed, but Andrea sees him scoot the girl a little further up his back so he has a better grip on her. Marlene evidently trusts him to have her because she isn’t trying to hold onto him. Not really. Just gripping at his high collar shirt and tugging it.</p><p>“You <em>have</em> to get them to do the thing. Andi hasn’t seen it yet! He’ll love it.”</p><p>“Marlene-” Cloud groans, an almost pained expression on his face.</p><p>“Come on Cloud. It’s fun! And cute! And you’re the only one who can make them.”</p><p>“That’s not true—”</p><p>Marlene grips at his collar and tugs a little. Getting the blond to actually look at her, feet kicking at his sides. Dark eyes huge and pleading and entirely too potent as she pouts at him.</p><p>“Please, please, please, please, please—”</p><p>“Okay! Okay. Knock it off already.” Marlene does, grinning in a way that’s almost<em> wicked</em> for her young face. “You know they really only do this when they want to, right?”</p><p>“Quit stallin’ mister.”</p><p>Cloud sighs, eyes rolling skyward. The most intense look of discomfort and long suffering on his face Andrea’s ever seen. Catches Barret grinning, Tifa poorly stifling laughter and Denzel failing to his obvious excitement. Andrea’s curiosity only grows. Clearly they’re all in on the joke. Or...whatever this is.</p><p>The blond whistles, a short sharp note but it turns the heads of damn near every bird in the pen.</p><p>“Wark.”</p><p>What follows is thirty seconds of the most unexpectedly adorable thing Andrea’s ever witnessed. In near perfect synchronicity the chocobo’s in the pen begin to <em>dance</em>. Marching in place, jumping on one foot and flaring their wings. Bobbing their heads and shaking their feathery tails. He even catches Marlene humming a familiar, jaunty little tune.</p><p>Andrea’s absolutely impressed and more than a little charmed. He’d learned the birds were smart, but to see them outright <em>perform</em> is another matter.</p><p>Perhaps his words to Madame M the other day may not be as much of a jest as he’d thought.</p><p>As the birds finish their apparent routine, their group breaks into delighted laughter and applause- save Cloud of course. Who still looks rather like he just choked on something sour. But Andrea knows better by now. Sees a touch of that bright fondness in his gaze when he looks at the kids- even though Marlene’s basically flattening his usual spikes, leaning on his head.</p><p>“We good now?” Cloud asks, jostling Marlene a little as things start to calm down. “Thought you wanted to see the chicks?”</p><p>“I do. Let’s go.” Marlene digs her heels into Cloud’s sides imperiously. As though he really were the pack chocobo Andrea himself’s guilty of teasing the other about.</p><p>“I’ll drop you.” Cloud grumbles under his breath and Marlene just rolls her eyes at him.</p><p>“No you won’t. C’mon!”</p><p>All eight of them loop around the fence and head for the barn. The scent in the air is still just as strong, but there’s something fresher about it too. Marlene can only contain her jittery giddiness a few steps inside the barn before she’s squirming to be let down so she can race after Denzel.</p><p>“Slow down you two. Don’t wanna scare ‘em.” Barret calls after the kids, good natured and bright eyed. They listen- kind of. In spirit at least. With how much both of them have been practically vibrating with energy the past while, Andrea supposes that’s probably the best they can expect.</p><p>Denzel pauses, one hand on the latch of the gate. Glancing back at the adults with fire in his eyes. Tifa laughs and nods at him. That’s all the sign he needs to haul back the creaky metal and swing the door wide.</p><p>There’s a series of high peep and chitters. A rustle of hay. All of it nearly lost over Denzel and Marlene both immediately cooing and gushing at whatever lies inside.</p><p>“Oh my gosh! Look at them!”</p><p>“Awww! Daddy, Daddy hurry come see!”</p><p>Andrea steps off to the side a little, letting Tifa and Barret slip into the stall with the kids. Biggs and Wedge hang back too, just off to the side. The stall gate’s wide enough though that they can peek in.</p><p>And yes, alright. Andrea can understand the kids delight and excitement all the way here.</p><p>Two fluffy little balls of feathers are nested comfortably near the far back corner of the stall. Tucked up in a nest of fresh hay and a few scattered greens. One of them a slightly darker shade of blue to Misty’s and the other that cute yellow most common to the birds.</p><p>The kids are hovering, giggling and smiling at each other, the babies and the adults all in whirlwind measure. Denzel seems the more hesitant of the two as Marlene inches closer little by little. Tifa shuffles after them. A bundle of lushy, leafy greens in one hand. She rests a hand on Denzel’s shoulder as she moves to his side. The kids follow her lead. Crouching down with her and settling among the fresh hay. Holding out little offerings and talking to the curious chicks.</p><p>The proud mother wanders over towards Cloud after a moment of eyeing the humans around her new flock.</p><p>“Hey girl.” He murmurs in greeting, running a hand down her beak, then down along her jaw when she chirps and twists her head a little. “You wanna stretch your legs a bit?” His words are met with an enthusiastic ruffle and Cloud gets that sweet shadowy smile on his face. “C’mon.”</p><p>He loops simple rope around her neck and gives the gentlest tug to coax her out into the main run. Mutters a quiet “Back in a minute.” as he leads Dawn out towards the other birds awaiting in the pen.</p><p>Wedge can’t help himself anymore, edging into the stall alongside the others to join in a much closer admiration of the hatchlings.</p><p>“Oh my gosh guys. They’re so cute. Not as cute as Biggum’s kids, but still. Super adorable.”</p><p>Marlene giggles at him and offers one of the greens. Wendge shuffles a little closer and giggles when the yellow chick gobbles the treat up with gusto right out of his hand.</p><p>“Andi, do you wanna come say hi?”</p><p>Andrea smiles at Denzel, touched beyond words to have been thought of even amidst all the excitement.</p><p>“In a bit perhaps. Wouldn’t want to overwhelm them.”</p><p>“Heh. Shouldn’t need to worry about that. I’m gonna go see if Bill’s got any drinks layin’ around.” Barret says, giving Marlene a quick squeeze when she pries herself away from the babies long enough. He walks past Biggs, clapping the man on the shoulder again. “You comin’?”</p><p>“Sure. I could use one after earlier.”</p><p>“I’ll be there in a bit!” Wedge calls after them as the two head for the doors again. He does stick around for a while before carefully levering himself up with a gentleness that’s belied by his frame, but certainly not his nature. He trots and it’s a while longer still before Cloud returns with Dawn in tow. The bird looks freshly groomed and positively radiant for her dark coloring. In the interim Tifa and the kids had urged Andrea inside though he’s sat as more of an observer than anything.</p><p>Tifa ducks away too as Cloud returns and Marlene follows her. Chattering away a mile a minute it seems.</p><p>“I really like the name Daisy. What do you think, Tifa?”</p><p>Cloud shuts the gate behind him and lets Dawn loose. She heads over to her chicks, carefully sidestepping Denzel who’s still seated by the little blue one who’s clearly stolen his heart entirely. Elbows on his crossed knees and a content smile on his face. Dawn gently runs her beak along it’s back, crooning softly. Turns her attention to the still bright and bubbly yellow bundle and gets to work preening it’s downy feathers.</p><p>Cloud nudges Denzel gently with his knee. The boy blinks up at him.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You got a name picked out for yours yet?” Cloud asks, a faint jerk of his chin towards the dozing chick. Denzel starts, surprise flashing bright across his face.</p><p>“You’re serious...?”</p><p>Cloud nods, his expression even as he continues. Voice quietly firm. “But that means you gotta take care of them whenever you’re out here. Feeding, watering, training. Making sure their stalls are mucked out. All of it.”</p><p>Denzel’s still just staring at him. Something bright and shocked in his dark eyes. They flicker, briefly back towards the baby Chocobo.</p><p>“She’s mine...”</p><p>“Think you can handle that?”</p><p>“Yeah...Yeah! Absolutely!” Denzel carefully edged back from the sleeping bundle of feathers. Twists back onto his feet and in the next moment lurches towards Cloud. Lean little arms catching tight around Cloud’s waist. Something a little painful twists itself in Andrea’s chest. That Cloud always seems to be surprised by the gesture. Two toned eyes wide a moment as the boy squeezes him. Voice a bright, but with the faintest waver just behind it. “Thanks Cloud.”</p><p>Cloud’s hands settle carefully on the boy’s shoulders. Sedate and gentle. Not squeezing the boy nor pushing him away. Denzel steps back on his own after a moment. Andrea thought he’d look happy on the way here, or when they’d first see the Chocobo’s.</p><p>That was nothing at all compared to the excitement dancing in his eyes as he beams up at his guardian. Cloud nods towards the door.</p><p>“Go give Biggs a hand then.”</p><p>“’Kay!”</p><p>Andrea carefully sidesteps the boy as he hurries out. But Denzel pauses on his way. Glancing back towards them. Something elated and cautious in his blue eyes. A tentative, crooked smile on his face.</p><p>“Were you serious about the sword stuff too?”</p><p>“Maybe. Scoot.”</p><p>Denzel rolls his eyes a little but rushes off to do as bid. Andrea chuckles. Both at the boy’s enthusiasm and the way Cloud ruffles the hair at the back of his head with a sigh.</p><p>“That was awfully sweet of you.”</p><p>The blond huffs and shakes his head. A wry, crooked thing twisting the edge of his lips. “We’ll see if he thinks that when he’s cleaning up bird shit for the twelth time.”</p><p>“You know what I mean.” Andrea chides gently. Honestly this boy. Always so quick to dismiss his own gentle heart.</p><p>Cloud shrugs. “Supposed to be his birthday present but, uh. Couldn’t exactly ask Dawn to hold out till then.”</p><p>Speaking of the lovely bird, the two of them slip back out of her stall to give her some much needed time with her babies. Cloud closes the door gently behind them after one last check to make sure they had everything they could possibly need.</p><p>With a sigh, Cloud leans back against the side of the storage area. Closing his eyes and letting out a long, low breath that sinks his shoulders. Andrea hums, watching him.</p><p>“Tired?”</p><p>“Mm mm.” Cloud shakes his head. Blinks his eyes open again with one of those sweet wrinkles of his nose. “Just nice to be out here again.”</p><p>“Ah. I concur. It’s very...relaxing.”</p><p>Cloud nods, a little absent. But Andrea can’t help, but feel the weight of those lovely eyes on him. He glances back at Cloud from where his attention had wandered. A faint rush of something wonderful trickling bright through his veins at the look in them. At the way Cloud tilts his head just so. Voice quiet, but even.</p><p>“C’mere…”</p><p>Andrea steps to the edge of Cloud’s space without thought. Grins when Cloud’s hands shift to curl lightly into the fabric of his shirt at his sides. Just the faintest tug though it’s really not needed as they both shift to kiss one another. Just a brush of their lips. And then another...and another. Soft, but slowly shifting into something a little longer. A little more lingering. Makes Andrea smile. Even more so when Cloud grumbles at him for it. Another insistent little tug at him. Makes the dancer shift a step closer. Well and truly in Cloud’s space now. Tickled because Cloud clearly <em>wants</em> him there.</p><p>Feels like forever since he got to kiss him. Ridiculous really. It’s barely been three days at this point. But the last time had been...different. Tense because of the fire and Cloud’s struggling thoughts.</p><p>This is much more familiar. And no less heady for the familiarity. Especially given the fires only banked within Andrea’s gut from earlier. Not fully extinguished. Andrea doesn’t think that’s even possible for him where Cloud’s concerned.</p><p>Andrea drifts one hand up to cup Cloud’s jaw gently. Keeping him still and close as he shifts. Parting Cloud’s willing lips beneath his own and sighing at the feel of him. Beneath his lips, his hands. Strong, yet tender in all the ways that still make Andrea’s heart quake in his chest. Especially as Cloud’s grip on him shifts. Settling more firmly against his waist. Some rumbling noise deep in his chest.</p><p>They part with a gentle, wet smack. Both breathing just a touch harder. Andrea’s heart aching in his chest. Especially at the familiar spark in Cloud’s gorgeous lidded eyes. He brushes his thumb along Cloud’s cheek.</p><p>“I missed you, my-”</p><p>There’s a <em>screech</em> from further in the barn. Loud and sharp in the stillness and Andrea jumps, heart racing a little. Cloud eyes snap open, staring down that way and blinking a few times. After a moment he scowls and sighs.</p><p>“Goddamn bird.”</p><p>“I- was that <em>Munin</em>?”</p><p>“Yep.” Cloud says, popping the ‘p’ a little. “Told you she’s spoiled. Can’t handle not having all the attention on her.”</p><p>Andrea takes a step back as Cloud pushes himself up from the slight lean he’d had against the wall. He ducks inside the storage space a moment and returns with a pail filled with grain and bits of something darker. Together they head down towards Munin’s stall and she meets them at the gate. Making the thing rattle on its hinges as she screes at them. Though whether that’s in joy or indignance Andrea really doesn’t know.</p><p>“I’m beginning to think he was right about you, noisy thing.” He chides her with a grin as Cloud edges her back enough he can slip into the stall and deposit the pail of food into her trough. Despite <em>him</em> being the first to throw the bird under the metaphorical bus earlier, Cloud just shakes his head.</p><p>“Not her fault. It’s mine for keeping her cooped up like this. ‘Specially when she’s in her prime.” There’s something sad in those lovely eyes as he runs a hand over golden feathers. Plucks at Andrea’s heart like a wrong note in a song. “I should talk to Ester. See if she could track down another rider.”</p><p>It may be silly, but Andrea can’t help but frown at the idea. It’s more than clear Munin’s attached to Cloud. And just as clear- at least to him- that Cloud adores her just as much. While he understands Cloud’s point, in wanting the best for her, it seems rather fatalistic to jump to giving her up.</p><p>“You said yourself your work for Shinra’s winding down.” Andrea runs his fingers through the glossy feathers slowly. Chuckling as Munin makes a happy little grumbling noise in her throat as he finds a good spot to scratch. “No sense in giving her up when things’ll be back to normal soon.”</p><p>“...Yeah.” Cloud says after an odd moment of quiet. “Yeah I guess.”</p><p>Oh…</p><p>Oh something doesn’t. Feel quite right. Some strange shadow hovering in the silence and distance between them. All the more noticeable due to their earlier closeness. Andrea straightens a little. Can feel the frown at the edge of his lips, but can’t quite tuck it away.</p><p>“Cloud—”</p><p>“Hey you two! Lunch is on. Come get some before it's gone!”</p><p>Andrea turns to glance towards the barn doors. Raises a hand to show Tifa that he’d heard her and watches as she trots off again. The stall starts to swing open under him again and Andrea steps back to let Cloud slip through again. Whatever that oddness was before, it’s been snapped in half at the interruption. Cloud starts for the exit in easy, unhurried steps and Andrea follows just behind.</p><p>As Cloud ducks out into the early afternoon sunshine, Andrea pauses, just at the edge of the barn’s inner shadow. The moment might have lost, but the shards of it feel like they’re lodged in his chest. He raises a hand to rub absently at his chest. Can still feel the frown on his face.</p><p>“So uh. Are you two...seein’ each other?” For the second time in too short a time Andrea starts. Gaze darting to his right where Biggs has a hand raised. A wince on his face. “Whoops! Sorry. Didn’t mean to spook ya.”</p><p>Andrea lets out a breath and wills his heart to slow a touch before he answers the other’s question with a nod. “Yes.”</p><p>“Huh…”</p><p>Biggs is quiet a moment and Andrea shifts a little. Arms crossing his chest. He’s not quite sure what to make of the man’s tone. Nor the look on his face. It’s not disapproval, per say. But Andrea can’t exactly call it approval either. “Not going to give me the ‘talk’?”</p><p>“Hah! Nah. I don’t know you, of course. But uh. Cloud’s pretty cautious with people he lets close. So, figure if he thinks you’re safe, I don’t got any room to judge.”</p><p>“I appreciate that.” And he does. Not so much for himself, but in this man’s apparent willingness to trust Cloud’s judgement when it comes to his own happiness. Realizes now why there was such a lack of either Biggs approval or disapproval a moment ago.</p><p>“He’s a sweet kid.” Biggs says. There’s something fond in his eyes as he says it. Lingers there as his dark eyes wander. Attention turning to Cloud’s retreating form. “And a good man. A real good one.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help his focus drifting towards Cloud as well. Just reaching the group who’ve settled themselves large blankets spread out beneath the trees. Marlene arches up on her knees. Grabbing his hand and tugging, but Cloud stays on his feet. So she determinedly shoves half of what looks to be a sandwich into his hand instead. Their words are indistinct from here. But there’s laughter and bright, happy chatter. Fills that niggling little void hovering still in Andrea’s chest. Enough to drag out his own smile.</p><p>“Yes. Yes he is. Quite possibly the best I’ve ever known.”</p><p>“Hmm.” There’s another brief, considering look on Biggs face. Then he grins and starts towards the others too. “C’mon. Tifa wasn’t kidding. With Wedge on the prowl we’ll be lucky if there’s anything left by now.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh. And also this fic is now six (6) months old. How crazy is that y'all?</p><p>Again- gentle reminder that Rhife Discord is TOTALLY A THING and we'd love to have you join us to scream about the boys and things. You can reach out to @Moosephu or myself (@lunae_izunia) on Twitter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Beneath the Open Air</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>...Welp. Here we are again.</p>
<p>Enjoy this silly, smutty nonsense.</p>
<p>As ever, our wonderful Avasti is the actual best putting up with all these silly delays of mine and still doing the absolute finest of work! 💖</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Andrea has to hand it to Bill. He’s certainly unafraid of putting them all to work once they’ve settled in. Grateful to have so many able bodied hands at his disposal. It’s certainly not the easiest work, though he suspects the group keeps him away from the ‘worst’ things. Most of it’s things Andrea’s never done before, but he’s happy to throw himself into each and every opportunity. Sees it all as just another way of exploring the world around him- the world he’s only <em>just </em>getting to experience.</p>
<p>So Andrea tags along here and there all across the farm. Helping Biggs and Wedge patch one of the corrals. Helps the kids brush out the Ranch’s birds- whom he learns are “Technically ours too.” since Cloud and the others had a hand in either catching them or hatching them. But since they had no need for so many, they ‘traded’ them to the Ranch for people to travel with.</p>
<p>Barret joins them too and Andrea learns he actually does have a prosthetic hand attachment. A shining silver thing that clearly doesn’t see much use given how new it looks. The larger man regales them all with the first time they’d tried to wrangle one of the ‘speedy little fu- err, funny guys.’. The kids aren’t the only one’s laughing by the time he’s done. Even Barret’s chuckling with them. Reaches out his hand to pat Pop’s side.</p>
<p>“Ah well. He’s been real good for us since then, huh big fella?”</p>
<p>“Pops was the first?” Andrea asks and Barret nods.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah. Think the only reason we caught him was ‘cuz he was hurt.” Barret scritches Pops’ jaw with his broad fingers and the bird wheezes happily. “That’s why he sounds a little funny. Spike’s the one who noticed.”</p>
<p>Andrea hums, smiling to himself as he wanders around the many feathered bodies scooping up brushes, pails and the like. The grooming work done for the day. Something content hovers in Andrea’s chest as he glances around at the brightly colored birds all around. Some of them had even taken a bit of a shine to him. <em>Kweh</em>-ing at him quietly as he passes or butting up against him for attention.</p>
<p>By the time he actually extracts himself from the pen, Andrea finds himself rather glad he’d opted to wear clothes he really doesn’t give a shit about. As well as the fact he keeps his hair so short. Spares him from carrying around new decor in the form of many yellow, blue and green feathers.</p>
<p>He packs everything away neatly within the tack room once again, before wandering over to where Billy, Tifa and Cloud are standing near the center of the main run in the barn. Billy’s gesturing up towards the high ceiling.</p>
<p>“–not sure where it’s coming from. Might be a hole that needs patchin’ or somethin’.”</p>
<p>“I can take a look.” Cloud offers, voice low. Billy grins, gap-toothed and sweet as he thanks him. Cloud nods and as Andrea comes up alongside Tifa he feels that now familiar shift in the air. The next moment Cloud jumps for the nearest crossbeam at least ten feet above them. Grasps it and neatly hauls himself up to perch atop its surface.</p>
<p>“Think it mighta been around that north-east corner. Back by Munin. Thanks, Cloud!”</p>
<p>The boy hurries off and Andrea and Tifa both walk along the floor in Cloud’s wake. The blond picks his way deftly across broad beams and edging around supports. Andrea’s still silently marveling in the back of his head that Cloud’s just able to...do things like that. Clearly whenever he likes. It isn’t like he hadn’t heard tales and rumors of SOLDIERs and their wild, near inhuman capabilities. But to see it in action, and so casually used on top of that, is something else entirely.</p>
<p>As Cloud crosses over the front edge of her stall, Munin screes at him. Obviously confused why the hell he’s up there and not paying her any mind. Tifa chuckles and leans against the gate. Reaching out to indulge the indignant bird. Though Munin keeps getting distracted by Cloud as he ducks down further back into the corner, feeling and prodding at something out of sight.</p>
<p>“Think I found it. Gonna be easier to get at it from outside though.” He calls down after a minute or so. Tifa nods and gives Munin one last pat.</p>
<p>“Okay. I’ll see what Bill’s got that’ll patch it.”</p>
<p>Tifa heads off towards the house as Cloud hops easily back down to the floor by Munin’s stall. The pretty bird pops her head over the door. Greeting him with a bright, if indignant trill. Cloud rolls his eyes as he straightens from his crouch. Reaching back to pat the side of her head.</p>
<p>“That’s why you’ve been kicking up a stink, huh?” There’s a sigh in Cloud’s voice and one of his flickering, crooked smiles hovering in the corner of his mouth. “One measly draft and the whole world’s ending.”</p>
<p>Munin <em>kweh</em>’s at him. Ruffling her golden feathers. A look in her blue eyes that somehow <em>screams</em> ‘Obviously.’ Cloud gives her another pat and side steps her attempt to go after his hair.</p>
<p>“So, you include handyman along with the rest of your impressive repertoire?” Andrea asks, a slightly teasing grin on his face.</p>
<p>“Nah. ‘S just easier for me to get it done than the kids. Bill would, but his hands don’t work as well as they used to.” Cloud shrugs, casual and Andrea hums. Sighs a little to himself at Cloud’s constant denial of his kind nature. But he knows it’s rather a lost cause. Besides Cloud’s eyeing him, a slightly odd expression on his face. Andrea blinks, hums. Cloud takes a step closer. Reaches out towards him. “Marlene dragged you into the grooming pit, huh?”</p>
<p>Ah. He realizes what caught Cloud’s attention when he plucks a bright yellow feather from somewhere on Andrea’s clothes. The dancer chuckles, grinning.</p>
<p>“Oh yes. I’m privy to all the many secrets now. It was quite an honor.”</p>
<p>“Sure…” Cloud says, with a shake of his head and sigh. Just a touch more amusement than annoyance in his voice. It makes Andrea’s smile widen for a moment, before it—<em>he—</em>softens. Reaches out to catch hold of Cloud’s arm as he walks past. Tugs Cloud back against him, hooking his chin over Cloud’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“Mind letting me go?”</p>
<p>“I do.” Andrea replies, nose to the hollow beneath Cloud’s ear. Lips to the end of his jaw. “I mind very much.”</p>
<p>“Gotta job to do.”</p>
<p>“As do I.” Andrea replies, perfectly serious. Feels Cloud turn to glance at him. Knows his being watched as Cloud makes a quiet, questioning noise.</p>
<p>“Mmm?”</p>
<p>“Why, telling you that you’re beautiful.” Andrea leans up to nose at the soft cartilage of Cloud’s ear. Trails his lips along smooth skin as he goes. “And sweet…” Drifts to follow the line of Cloud’s cheek. Easier as Cloud shifts to turn to look at him “And <em>perfect…</em>”</p>
<p>“Andrea—”</p>
<p>He doesn’t <em>mean</em> to, necessarily. But Andrea can’t exactly find it in him to complain that their lips meet. Cutting off Cloud’s low voice. Catches that sweet, faintly surprised inhale. Watches as those stunning eyes flutter. Pale, faintly bruised lids falling heavy over them. Andrea hums, tilts his head a little further. Eases his lips over Cloud’s slow. Gentle.</p>
<p>Andrea’s arm curls further around Cloud’s waist. Tugging Cloud snug back against him. Reaches his free hand up to brush against Cloud’s other cheek. For a moment Cloud goes along easily. Mouth moving against Andrea’s. The tension in those lean muscles melting away—</p>
<p>Before it snaps back into place at the boisterous sound of laughter somewhere outside. Voice and the faint sound of footsteps. Cloud jerks, just enough to put a half inch of space between their faces. Eyes flashing towards the wide entrance.</p>
<p>Ah. A little too public perhaps.</p>
<p>There’s no one coming their way, but it’s certainly enough of a reminder for Andrea to let Cloud go easily and take a step back. Slides his hands along Cloud’s waist, curling it briefly against his side. Stroke the lean curve of Cloud waist. Offers him a small smile.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry. I can stop—”</p>
<p>Cloud’s got one of those little furrows between his eyes. Gaze darting away from the entrance, back to Andrea then down. Andrea blinks. Tilts his head. Surprised when Cloud catches his hand.</p>
<p>“Cloud?” Andrea prods a little. Squeezing Cloud’s hand with his. Pleased when Cloud’s grip on him tightens in turn. Clouds furrow deepens, just a moment before he shakes his head.</p>
<p>“It’s fine. Just…” Andrea wonders if Cloud realizes he’s sweeping his thumb along the side of his hand. Wonders if Cloud knows just what that sweet, silly little twist of his brow does to Andrea’s heart when Cloud glances at him through his lashes. “Later. Maybe?”</p>
<p>A rush of warmth— both tender and aroused—sweeps through Andrea’s body. He tucks it back before he gives into the rush and does something stupid when he’s already toed the line of Cloud’s comfort.</p>
<p>“Of course, sweetheart. Jobs to do after all, hmm?”</p>
<p>Cloud hums and nods. That silly, sweet furrow lingering persistent between those pretty eyes. It doesn’t really help Andrea’s desire to do something stupid—selfish, really. Relieved when Cloud finally moves.</p>
<p>Cloud takes a step away. But, he doesn’t let go of Andrea’s hand as he does. The motion creating a bridge between them. Andrea’s heart shivers. An unsteady amazed flip inside his chest as Cloud rocks back on a heel. Lifting their joined hands to brush his lips against Andrea’s knuckles. A rush of gentle heat zips through Andrea’s nerves. Leaving him wide eyed and momentarily breathless. His fingers tingling with warmth even as Cloud lets him go. Lingers as his hand curls loose by his side. Trying to preserve that warmth even as he hurries after Cloud’s retreating form. Follows him back out into the late afternoon sunshine.</p>
<p>It’s still not quite as warm as the light hovering in his chest.</p>
<p>Andrea trails Cloud as he makes his way over to where Bill’s hauling off a sack of fertilizer off to the garden Andrea’s learned the ranch keeps tucked behind the house.</p>
<p>“Ah there ya are.”</p>
<p>“Found your leak. Shouldn’t be too hard to patch if you’ve got the stuff.” Cloud says, passing Bill the long handled shovel when he reaches for it too.</p>
<p>“Good to hear. We got plenty o’ supplies, but don’t worry about it right now. It’ll keep another night and it’s getting late.” Bill jerks his head towards where Tifa and the kids are showering Piper and Dumpling with affection. The floppy brim of his wide hat doing little to dim the glint of his crooked smile. “I’m sure them chicks of yours wouldn’t mind going for a ride, right?”</p>
<p>“Probably. But Tifa’ll take ‘em this time. I can—”</p>
<p>Cloud jerks back a step as Bill points the rounded end of the handle right in his face. His eyes flash wide and surprised as he blinks at the elder.</p>
<p>“Ye can go off and have fun doing something else.”</p>
<p>“Okay, okay.” Cloud raises his hands taking another step back. Bill cracks back into that toothy smile.</p>
<p>“Good. Now skedaddle. And if I catch ye anywhere near that roof…”</p>
<p>Andrea chuckles as Cloud rolls his eyes. Shrugging and  heading off back towards the pen. The kids are so excited by the prospect of getting to go out on the birds that none of them seem to have the heart to say no. So within no more than half an hour they’ve got six of the flock saddled up and ready to ride. Cloud and he stay behind while the party of Tifa, Denzel, Marlene, Biggs, Wedge and Billy head out. Chole had elected to stay behind this time to help her grandfather, who’d waved off any other offers of help. Apparently they’re ‘usefulness’ today has ended.</p>
<p>“You wanna take a walk or something?” Cloud asks, eye on the growing distant forms of the others. Andrea glances over at him then smiles.</p>
<p>“Where’d you have in mind?”</p>
<p>‘Nowhere special’ as Cloud puts it. They wander the area, Never straying too far from the ranch of course. Cloud still brought his sword along. Can’t be too careful out here, Andrea supposes. They end up at the top one of the rolling hills. Gazing out across the wide, flat plains. Perhaps there isn’t much to see, save the scatterings of distant beasts and roaming wild chocobos. Yet it’s still some of the most beautiful scenery Andrea’s ever been graced to see. Seemingly endless swaths of tall, wavering grasslands and distant ridges of mountain ranges to the south east.</p>
<p>Andrea settles down on the ground. Runs his fingers through soft emerald blades of grass and smatterings of other flora here and there.</p>
<p>Who would have ever thought he’d get to see such natural wonders? Not he certainly. Not once in all his life, once his childish curiosity of ‘beyond the wall’ had left him. Hadn’t lasted long beneath the sunless gloom of the Plate and the stench of the slums. Reality ensued in its cruel way.</p>
<p>Sometimes— rarely, yes, but still—Andrea has his gloomy mornings. Wondering if he’s going to open his eyes and find himself back in Midgar.</p>
<p>But it’s very hard to listen to that niggling, pessimistic little whisper, especially at the moment. Because never in all his wildest daydreams could he have <em>ever</em> imagined something like this. Such beauty and life scattered in every direction. Everywhere he turns to look.</p>
<p>“I think I like nowhere special.”</p>
<p>The quiet huff Cloud makes is nearly lost to the vastness of the world. Carried away on the breeze swirling through the air. But there’s something soft in his expression. Shimmering in his eyes. The creak of his harness and the jangle of metal quiet in the stillness.</p>
<p>“…Yeah. Me too.”</p>
<p>Andrea reaches up, brushes his fingers against Cloud’s nearest hand. His lean fingers twitch briefly beneath his touch. Eyes darting over too look down at him. But as he does the tension bleeds out Andrea fits his own broader fingers between Cloud’s. Tugs and smiles when Cloud sinks to join him with only a small grumble. Settles in his usual way. Angled towards Andrea, an arm braced on his raised knee. His other hand Andrea gets to keep. Tugging it closer, up onto his thigh. Gently coaxes Cloud to let it fall open. Traces his lean, callous riddled fingers and the lines of his palm. He’s always thought it. That Cloud has delicate hands. Deceptive for how much strength Andrea’s now more than aware lies beneath their appearance.</p>
<p>They twitch a little as Andrea skates along the lines of his palm. Catches Cloud glancing at him again. But he doesn’t ask or try to pull away. Calm and quiet. Relaxed at Andrea’s side in a way that he’s only ever seen Cloud like out here. Feels like a gift and secret both. Something precious Cloud’s willing to share with him.</p>
<p>Reading too much into things again, of course. Bad habit of his. Especially around this man.</p>
<p>Feels, perhaps, just a bit more justified in it. Given Cloud’s willingness to let him.</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Cloud makes a confused grunt beside him. Quiet and sweet. Andrea catches him turning to look at him from the corner of his eye. Smiles, still tracing the lines and length of Cloud’s hand. “For letting me accompany you all again.”’</p>
<p>“‘Course.”</p>
<p>Andrea chuckles. Leave it Cloud to make something so wondrous to him sound so simple. Thoughtless, perhaps. But not meaningless. No. Because Andrea understands that being out here speaks to some intrinsic part of Cloud too. Likely even more so than it does Andrea. Can see that clear on his face as Cloud finally leans back. Settles against the ground, free hand tucked behind his head.</p>
<p>“Marlene was telling me all about your birds today.”</p>
<p>“Oh yeah?” Cloud glances at him, brow arched.</p>
<p>“Indeed. Pops was your first bird, hmm?”</p>
<p>“Yep. Had a hell of a time tryin’ to nab birds so we could cross the marsh.” Cloud waves his free hand out towards the mountain range. “Lucked out with him.”</p>
<p>“Barret mentioned he was injured?”</p>
<p>Cloud nods. “Not sure what happened to him. Found him a little banged up.”</p>
<p>“I’d call him rather lucky then.” Unsurprisingly, Cloud just shrugs.</p>
<p>“Maybe. Got pretty lucky with him too really.”</p>
<p>Andrea hums, nodding. He can understand that. Pops is an absolute joy to be around, even for someone like him who’s an absolute newcomer. Easy enough to see why he’s Marlene’s ‘secret’ favorite.</p>
<p>“What about the others?”</p>
<p>“Uh, Piper we caught too. Out by Wutai. The other’s are all hatchling’s. Misty and Dumpling are Dawn’s folks. Money’s one of Dawn’s and Pops’ chicks.”</p>
<p>“One big happy flock. They’re all beautiful creatures.”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Been pretty lucky with ‘em all honestly.”</p>
<p>“You’re very good with them.” Andrea says. Because he’s noticed it even more this trip than the last. Watching Cloud duck and weave around the birds here and there. Quick to pick up on their needs. And more than that even, is the fact that damn near all of them seemed very happy around him. “And yet you chose to start a delivery service…?”</p>
<p>Cloud shrugs again. Eyes lidded and a little distant. But not in a worrying way. “Just happened that way.”</p>
<p>Ah yes. Andrea remembers Cloud saying something similar. Months ago now the first time they’d sat in his living room and talked. God that feels like both a lifetime ago and yet no time at all. So many things he’s gotten to experience in so little time. All thanks to the man at his side.</p>
<p>Strange. Strange how seeing Cloud relaxed and at peace does so much to settle something within him too. Eases out a lot of those ever lingering worries. After the clear stress from his work and the fire, finally seeing that ease out here is a balm to Andrea’s soul.</p>
<p>Andrea twists to look at Cloud. Reaching out his free hand to brush at Cloud’s hair. Tucking the longer strands away from his face. Cloud’s eyes flicker towards him. A question hovering in them. One Andrea doesn’t have a real answer for.</p>
<p>Cloud doesn’t seem to mind. There’s a tug at Andrea’s hand. Honestly he’d forgotten he still has a hold on the other. But he’s happy to follow the tug, and the sweet little jerk of Cloud’s chin. Shifts down and settles with his head on Cloud’s chest. Cloud tugs his hand free from Andrea’s grip as the dancer sinks down. Curls his arm around his shoulders instead.</p>
<p>The world goes quiet and still around them. Nothing but the breeze and the sound of Cloud’s heart thudding against his ear. Closes his eyes to just lose himself to the peaceful quiet. To the brush of Cloud’s thumb behind his ear. Against his tattoo. The gentle rasp of his Cloud’s callous’ against his skin.</p>
<p>“You fallin’ asleep?” Cloud’s voice is a low, pleasant rumble beneath his ears. An edge of gentle amusement beneath his words.</p>
<p>“Maybe…” Andrea mumbles in response. Honestly surprised how relaxed he is. Not tired per say though they’d been busy. But just...peaceful. Still, he cracks an eye open and glances up. “Bad idea?”</p>
<p>Cloud sighs beneath his ear. Thumb sweeping the inked skin behind his other still. Absent but firm. Shifts just a little, but doesn’t try to move outside that. His voice a low even rumble.</p>
<p>“I’ll keep an eye out.”</p>
<p>Some part of Andrea knew that of course. Knows the offer—promise really—was there even before the words left Cloud’s lips. A part of him shivers beneath the quiet realization of that. Trust is a dangerous thing. Always has been. Leaves you open and vulnerable to hurt and heartbreak. Andrea knows that better than most. Learned it early and near everything in his life has just reinforced the idea over and over.</p>
<p>Thinking on it, maybe that’s one of the reasons Cloud keeps rocking him to his core. Because Andrea <em>does</em> trust him. In ways he can’t say he ever has anyone else. Save perhaps Jules and their mother. But even then, it wasn’t like this. He’d kept Jules out of the ‘messiness’ of his life as much as he could. Especially once he’d made it into Corneo’s Trio. He’d shut damn near everyone out after that. Had to, for their sakes and his.</p>
<p>Cloud has wriggled his way deep down into Andrea’s chest so easily. It should be a surprise. It should probably even <em>worry</em> him to some extent.</p>
<p>But it doesn’t.</p>
<p>Andrea knows he’s safe in Cloud’s hands.</p>
<p>So he lets himself drift. Down into the gentle warmth of the sun and Cloud against him. The sound of the wind streaking over the grasslands. Whispering like a gentle voice against his ear.</p>
<p>Cloud gently shakes him awake some indeterminate amount of time later. Seems a little apologetic for it too. So Andrea takes it upon himself to wipe the furrow from his brow by kissing him until that sweet flush of color blossoms just beneath Cloud’s skin.</p>
<p>Their group of riders gets back almost two hours later. The sun’s sinking low, dipping towards the mountain ridges. Still gives them plenty of time to get a fire going and introduce Andrea to the fun of roasting sausages over an open flame. Denzel’s happy to instruct him in the ‘proper’ way of rotating the stick so each side gets cooked relatively evenly. Tifa and Wedge even whip up a few skewers too. Vegetables stacked alongside cuts of meat. Those alongside a delicious, hearty stew that Billy and Chole have had cooking up all day are positively filling. Warming against the evening chill as the sun vanishes beneath the horizon.</p>
<p>They chatter among themselves, ringed around the slow dying flames. Andrea finding himself caught up swapping stories about Midgar with Biggs. Both of them are natives to the once mighty city. Nobody goes to stoke the fire much. Apparently the lower flames are better for roasting the hefty bag of marshmallows Barret brought. It’s supposed to be ‘for the kids’ by his word. But it inevitably ends up being split among them all when their four youngest kick up a bit of a stink about it being ‘unfair’. They end up being a fair bit trickier than the sausages. Quick to burn and sometimes even out right ignite. Though most every time it happens they all just laugh it off and pass along the bag.</p>
<p>Biggs and Barret end up being the best at it. And between their efforts everyone gets to enjoy at least one ‘perfect’, golden-brown mallow. Surprisingly delicious and sticky as hell.</p>
<p>Once their energetic pack of young ones start yawning they break camp. Tidying up the dishes. No leftovers to worry about with the size of their group, despite the wealth of delicious offerings on hand. Andrea’s happy to give Tifa a hand ushering the kids inside. Needs to clean the sticky remains from his hands. Plus he’s in the middle of telling Denzel about some of his sillier dancing mishaps from when he’d been a boy.</p>
<p>“No way!” Denzel says, gaping up at him and obviously trying hard not to laugh. Andrea thinks the attempts a bit silly. He’s certainly chuckling at the memory of his costume tearing right down the seam of his ass.</p>
<p>“Oh very way. Didn’t even realize it until the performance was over.”</p>
<p>“That’s awful.” Denzel says. Adorably serious around the grin he’s still clearly fighting back. Andrea hums.</p>
<p>“It was rather mortifying at the time. Now I think back on it and laugh.”</p>
<p>“Guess it <em>is</em> pretty funny.” Denzel thankfully seems to take his word as permission to stop trying to hide his smile.</p>
<p>“Indeed.” Andrea replies. “Goodnight Denzel. See you in the morning.”</p>
<p>“Night Andi.” Denzel replies with a wave as he follows Bill and Chole deeper into the house. Andrea returns Marlene’s call of “Sleep good!” with a laugh and an echo. Barret follows along behind the kids. They’d tagged him for story time tonight by the sounds of it. Leaves just Andrea and Bill in the main room. The elder seated at the table. Curiosity finally gets the better of Andrea.</p>
<p>“Thanks for hosting us all.”</p>
<p>“’Course. Them kids done more to revitalize this place then I ever thought when they first stumbled through here.” Bill blows some shavings away from the little figure he’s been whittling away at all evening. “Always gonna be welcome in my door.”</p>
<p>“I’ve meant to ask but,” The older man grunts, looks up at him as Andrea continues. “Do you know a man named Sam? He used to run a carriage system in Midgar.”</p>
<p>Those dark eyes go shuttered. A careful evenness held in the crows feet marking the corners.</p>
<p>“I might.”</p>
<p>“He was an old colleague of mine.” Andrea explains, voice light. “I was just curious if anyone knew his whereabouts after everything.”</p>
<p>“Hmph. Well I can tell ya he ain’t come here.”</p>
<p>Ah. It’s not quite hostility in Bill’s voice, but it’s certainly toeing the line of it. A hard, slightly bitter edge. Certainly nowhere near the gruff, but welcoming warmth he has with Cloud and the others.</p>
<p>Also just adds to Andrea’s theory of them being related. At least to some degree. Sam can be a bit of an acquired taste. Like the whiskey he used to brew and drink to near excess.</p>
<p>He bids Bill a goodnight and ducks back out of the house.</p>
<p>Now that the fire’s been smothered, the night chill is certainly noticeable.</p>
<p>Cloud’s seated alone out on the ground. Just past what Andrea’s come to understand as the ‘perimeter’ of the ranch proper. Gazing towards the beautiful star littered sky above. Andrea can't say he’s too surprised Cloud’s broken off from the pack. It’s been a busy day full of people even if most of them are all people Cloud’s familiar with. Cloud’s tolerance for company has probably been all but tapped dry. He’d been quiet over supper too, even for him.</p>
<p>Tifa’s making her way over to him just as Andrea steps out. Cloud turns to glance up at her as she locks her hands behind her back and leans around his shoulder. They talk for a minute, too far for Andrea to make out the words. Then Tifa’s heading back towards the house. The warm light spilling out of the windows warms her face even in the night gloom.</p>
<p>“Trucks open if you need to grab anything out of it.”</p>
<p>“Good to know. Thank you.”</p>
<p>“Sure thing.” Tifa replies, stepping into the hug Andrea offers her. “Have a good night Andi.”</p>
<p>“You as well, Tifa. Sleep well.”</p>
<p>She ducks away into the house, leaving just him and Cloud outside now. Andrea starts to head towards the other, but Cloud pries himself up off the ground before he makes it more than a few steps. Wanders over towards Fenrir and pulls an obviously well used rucksack out from the seat as well as a tightly wound bedroll. Andrea blinks at both.</p>
<p>“Going somewhere?”</p>
<p>Cloud slings the bag over his shoulder and jerks his head towards the barn.</p>
<p>“There’s a loft over the tack room. Doesn’t get much use outside the kids, but they keep it clean enough.”</p>
<p>“Sounds cozy. I’ll grab my things.”</p>
<p>Even if his eyes didn’t have that subtle, constant glow to them Andrea knows he’d have seen Cloud’s eyes widening a touch.</p>
<p>“Oh, uh. You don’t gotta. There’s lots of room in the house—”</p>
<p>“And yet there’d be no you. Delightful as the other’s are, my dear, I’m afraid I still feel rather starved for your company in particular.” Andrea shifts his weight a little. A thought coming to mind. “Unless, of course, you’d rather be alone.”</p>
<p>Andrea doesn’t even have time to fret that may be the case before Cloud shakes his head. Eyes widening then narrowing as he shifts the bag at his shoulder.</p>
<p>“Don’t have a problem with it. Just think you’d be comfier inside.”</p>
<p>Andrea just shrugs and smiles. Comfort really doesn’t mean all that much to him, in the face of the chance to spend time with Cloud. Wherever they may end up.</p>
<p>“Lead the way.”</p>
<p>Cloud stops to fish an extra bedroll out from the back of the truck. Then the two of them strike off towards the barn. The interior is quiet and surprisingly warm. All the extra body heat from the animals Andrea’s sure. Cloud ducks away into the tack room and returns with a ladder Andrea’s noticed leaned against one wall. Sets it up against the side wall, between the run and the first stall where Dawn’s nested with her chicks. Climbs up the worn wood rungs easily, calls back over his shoulder as he goes.</p>
<p>“Don’t use the pump. It’s groundwater. Filtered stuff you can get in the tack room.”</p>
<p>“Thank you!” Andrea replies, chuckling to himself. He sincerely doubts that the water out here could be any worse than the waters in the slums had been at times. Still, he takes Cloud’s advice and sets up beside the wide sink in the room. Runs through his nightly ablutions quickly. The water’s <em>cold</em> too which is both refreshing and puts an extra touch of haste to his actions.</p>
<p>Once he’s finished he clambers up the ladder after Cloud, bag slug carefully over one shoulder. The ladder shivers a bit beneath him, but then stabilizes. Glancing up Andrea smiles at the reason. Sees Cloud holding the top rung steady. Meets him with an apologetic furrow as Andrea eases up into the loft proper.</p>
<p>“Sorry, I’ll secure it better.”</p>
<p>“It’s fine.” Andrea waves off the clear apology. Settling his bag down beside Cloud’s against the nearby wall as he glances around. Clearly Cloud’s been busy while Andrea tidied himself up.</p>
<p>The loft’s a neat space. Equal to the size of the tack room below it, if a bit lacking in height. Andrea has to stoop a few inches to keep his head from striking the ceiling. But it’s clean and warm. Cloud’s hauled a lamp up too, it’s warm glow filling the space. He’s got one of the bedrolls spread out already. The one he’d pulled out of his bike is still rolled up.</p>
<p>“As I thought. Cozy.”</p>
<p>Cloud hums and shrugs.</p>
<p>“Back in a minute.” He says, shuffling over towards the opening and jumping down without bothering with the ladder. Andrea will freely admit his knees ache a little at the thought of the drop. True to his word Cloud returns quickly. Brings up two freshly topped up canteens of water. Andrea takes the one Cloud offers him and sets it beside his bag in easy reach.</p>
<p>Cloud shuffles back over on his knees to work at the other bedroll. Deftly plucking open the ties holding it together. Shakes it out with a few hard snaps before settling it a little ways from the other.</p>
<p>“Aww, no snuggling?” Andrea mock pouts, settling cross legged atop his own.</p>
<p>“Different makes. They don’t zip together.” Cloud replies evenly. Andrea blinks. Not sure what he’s more surprised by. Cloud playing along, not seeming opposed to the idea, or the fact that such things exist. So the combination of all three is a jolt to his heart.</p>
<p>So Andrea tucks it away, tips his head. Reaches out to take Cloud’s nearest hand. Cloud’s fingers twitch briefly before he lets Andrea slot them together. Cloud’s gaze flits towards him. Andrea smiles.</p>
<p>“Too bad. Considering we do.”</p>
<p>The look that flashes behind Cloud’s eyes, Andrea’s not sure he has words for. Something surprised. Something warm. Something unnameable. Flickers down into something soft that curls gently in the corner of his lips.</p>
<p>“Guess so.”</p>
<p>Andrea tugs at him. Needs to kiss that beautiful, shadowy smile. Hums as Cloud shifts around on his knees to face him. Andrea arches his neck and Cloud leans down towards him. Andrea slips his hand free from Cloud’s, skating it up his arm. Careful not to muss the delicate red ribbon always tied there. Curls it against the side of Cloud’s neck as their lips brush. Andrea makes a low, pleased noise in his chest. Nips at Cloud’s lower lip, smiling at the sound Cloud makes at it. At the way Cloud leans further into him. Hand curling against Andrea’s waist. An edge to his grip that sends a flicker of heat through Andrea’s spine.</p>
<p>Oh...there it is. That spark in Cloud’s eyes. Same as earlier today. Familiar as it ignites a thrill skittering through Andrea’s nerves. Settles low in his gut. Andrea skates a hand around, grips the tab of Cloud’s zipper and tugs at it. Dragging it a bit further down his chest. Dips his head to press his nose to the hollow of Cloud’s throat. Breathes him in.</p>
<p>The mako scent that always hovers around him seems lesser at the moment. Replaced in large part by the scents of the ranch and the open air. It’s intoxicating. In a wholly new and thrilling way. Andrea nips at pale skin.</p>
<p>The light of the lamp Cloud’d hauled up with them is soft. Yet it casts harsh, yet gorgeous shadows all throughout the space. Throws Cloud’s beautiful face into sharp relief. The part of his lips. The gentle color in his face.</p>
<p>“God you’re exquisite my darling.” Andrea murmurs. Heated as his fingers catch in one of Cloud’s harness belts. Starts to work at tugging them loose. Jangles of metal and a hiss of dark leather. No need for that sharp, hyper vigilance here. That careful, watchful tension doesn’t need to linger any longer in the line of Cloud’s shoulders. Andrea hopes he can ease some of it. Slipping Cloud carefully free of the harness. Tosses it to the floor behind him where it lands with a heavy thud. “There we are. That’s better isn’t it?”</p>
<p>Cloud surges into him. Sudden and hard enough that it sends Andrea to the floor. Andrea grunts, but the landing’s not as rough as it could be, given Cloud had knocked him back against the bedroll. Cloud pulls back, a twist to his face and a flush to his cheeks. Breath falling harder.</p>
<p>“Sorry…”</p>
<p>“Don’t be silly.” Andrea hushes him quietly. Tugs until the other’s more comfortably straddling his hips. Andrea tugs at Cloud’s shirt. Untucking the front of it from Cloud’s pants. Slides his hands beneath the heavy wool. Bracing them against Cloud’s waist. Skin warm beneath his touch as he glides them over lean muscles. Drags his gaze slowly, purposefully from Cloud’s eyes to his crotch. Humming low and pleased when he sees the bulge of him.“I quite like this view after all.”</p>
<p>Like the kiss he’d accidentally ‘stolen’ earlier, Andrea hadn’t quite meant for their time together to devolve into...<em>this</em>. Just wanted Cloud to relax a little. But as before he finds very little, if any, reason to be too put out by it. Especially with the way Cloud had responded. Eager and fiery and so damn <em>beautiful</em> it’d sent a wave of liquid fire rushing down through Andrea. Pooling in his gut. Rises high at the considering tilt of Cloud’s head. The narrowing of those surreal eyes.</p>
<p>“Mm. ‘s not bad.”</p>
<p>“Flatterer.” Andrea murmurs around a grin. Ignoring the heat pooling lower. Making his cock twitch. “How’s my poor heart to take such compliments?”</p>
<p>“You’ll live.”</p>
<p>Andrea finds himself a bit skeptical of that as Cloud’s hands dip beneath his shirt. Warm and wonderful against his skin. Cloud tugs as the material up gently, eyes darting to Andrea’s.</p>
<p>“Okay?” A shiver ripples all through Andrea’s body. Pricked by the low, rough edge just beneath Cloud’s voice.</p>
<p>“Of course.” Andrea replies, pushing himself up on an arm so Cloud has an easier time dragging the shirt up. Humming at the glide of Cloud’s fingers along his skin. The concentration on his face. Always so sweetly serious and intent. Different still from the myriad of other attention that have turned his way over the years.</p>
<p>Nothing’s ever felt quite like Cloud’s does.</p>
<p>Like it's not just his own fool heart again.</p>
<p>He gets the briefest reprieve from those incredible eyes as his shirt gets tugged over his head. Shifts to get it off his arms himself, but gets distracted in the process when Cloud’s mouth sinks into his. Andrea groans against him. Sinks back down against the bedding as Cloud arches over him. Wrists still caught in the tangle of his shirt above his head, but he honestly can’t bring himself to care much as Cloud’s tongue brushes the seam of his lips. Parts them happily beneath the tentative flickering press.</p>
<p>There’s a rustle above him, Cloud shifting. Then a brush of fingers against his arm. Gliding up to hook beneath the fabric bunched there. Tugging it up and off Andrea properly. Andrea thanks him by near immediately sinking a hand into soft blond hair. Cradling the back of his head. Angling his own to deepen the press of their mouths.</p>
<p>Cloud’s got one arm braced over Andrea’s head. The other’s drifting, a light touch skating across the dancer’s chest. Pausing to press his palm firm over Andrea’s heart. Finally pries their lips gently apart as Cloud shifts back a touch.</p>
<p>Andrea’s eyes flutter halfway open. A low content sigh deep in his chest when he’s met with the beautiful sight of Cloud’s face above him. Twists into something deeper as Cloud’s intent is quickly made clear. The blond sitting back further, hand shifting from Andrea’s chest to his own. Tugging the zipper of his shirt down the rest of the way and shrugging it from his shoulders easily.</p>
<p>Oh that’s a rather stunning sight now, isn’t it? The way the lamp light falls against Cloud’s torso. Highlights and beautiful, stark shadows against the lean curves of his body. Andrea reaches for him. Can’t help tracing the lines of him.</p>
<p>“Beautiful.” Andrea murmurs. Dragging his hand up to brush his thumb across the scar on Cloud’s chest. “All of you.”</p>
<p>Cloud of course rolls his eyes. Shucks his shirt the rest of the way off and tosses it neatly to join his discarded harness. Andrea’s certainly not adverse to admiring more of the gorgeous man above him. But there’s still one small barrier in getting to do so for <em>all</em> of him. And right now Andrea’d like nothing better. Hands gliding down Cloud’s body to the waist of his pants. Tugs at them. “Wouldn’t mind these not being in the way either.”</p>
<p>“Not the only one.” Cloud replies, voice low. Sends a fresh ripple of awareness shivering all through Andrea. Plucks a sharper smile on his face as he nods. Watching Cloud shuffle back along him. Shifts to spread his legs and give the other space to nestle between them as he unfastens his pants. The myriad belts and bits ringing through the warm quiet as he strips himself free of them. Andrea can admit to being a touch distracted as more and more of Cloud’s moon-bright skin is bared before his eyes. Enjoys the sigh of Cloud settled between his legs. Sparks an old, familiar want low in his gut that he has to tuck back. They haven’t the tools for such fun tonight—</p>
<p>“Draggin’ your feet.” Cloud mutters under his breath and Andrea chuckles at the fingers catching in his belt loops.. Wonders if Cloud realizes Barret’s not the only one the kids have taken after. Still he presses an apologetic kiss to the edge of Cloud’s lips and obligingly arches his hips so the blond can slide his pants down nearly to his knees.</p>
<p>Running his hands along Cloud’s thighs, Andrea bites his lower lip sharply. The image from earlier flooding into his mind. Cloud and his damn bike. The showcase of his surreal strength. Makes Andrea’s fingers dig briefly into Cloud’s skin. Kneading at gorgeous muscle. Cock pulsing heavy between his own legs, still confined within his briefs.</p>
<p>The absent rock of Cloud’s hips against him has an idea sparking in Andrea’s mind. Bright and brilliant. Heady even as he pictures it. Curls up to sit and reach for Cloud once more. Tugs the other close and keeps him distracted. Showering him with tender and lingering kisses. Running his hands along Cloud’s lean form. Pawing and toying at him here and there just to tease out more of that lovely voice Andrea treasures so much. Shifting himself as he tugs at Cloud. A little awkward from this position perhaps, especially without cluing Cloud into his plan. Andrea lifts his knees against Cloud’s sides. Tucking his knees together against Cloud’s stomach. Gets one hand curls against Cloud’s hip and the other around his nearly erect cock. Drags at the boy’s hip till that pretty length is resting snug between his legs.</p>
<p>“What’re you—<em>ngh</em>!”</p>
<p>With a grin, Andrea tenses his thighs. Muscles seizing tight around Cloud’s cock. Humming when he catches the grunt Cloud makes in turn. Hands closing tight against Andrea’s knees where they’d settled. Hips stuttering up against him. Pushing harder into the increased pressure.</p>
<p>“That’s it sweetheart.” Andrea can’t help curling forward a little more. Hands slipping around Cloud to knead the taught muscle of his ass. “Feels nice doesn’t it?”</p>
<p>“...Yeah.” Cloud’s got that endearing, startled light hovering in his bright eyes. Face still illuminated prettily by the lamp behind Andrea. That sweet, silly twist marks his brow. Lean, strong fingers rubbing at the sides of Andrea’s knees. “Y-you?”</p>
<p>Ah. Not a question of if Andrea’s feeling good, but <em>how</em> he’d like to. Honestly this boy. One day Andrea’s determined to get him to see it. To understand that watching Cloud is it’s own deeply seeded pleasure. One that few things in Andrea’s life have ever held a candle to.</p>
<p>“Oh I’m perfectly happy like this my darling.”</p>
<p>“Not what I meant.” Honestly. A more sweetly, stubborn soul Andrea’s not sure he’s ever met.</p>
<p>“I know what you mean, beautiful. And I meant what I said.” Andrea says evenly, tensing his legs again in a few tight ripples of motion. All too pleased with himself at the way Cloud’s expression cracks a little beneath the pressure. Feels that pretty cock pulse between his thighs. Andrea digs his heels into Cloud’s back a little. Coaxing the other to shift into him again. Which Cloud does, though not without an edge of clear hesitation. Something playing at war behind his gaze. Too close to uncertain guilt. That won’t do.</p>
<p>With a gentle hum Andrea shifts. Drops his legs and rolls easily up onto his knees. Slides his hands up Cloud’s chest. Massaging his thumbs just beneath the sharp jut of Cloud’s collarbones.</p>
<p>“You don’t believe me? Shall I show you then?” Andrea cocks his head and meets Cloud’s gaze. Smiles at the little furrow that flicks down into something curious. Enough to let Andrea press him back. Cloud sinking down to brace on his forearms. Let’s Andrea settle across his legs as the dancer runs his hands along. Traces down to the sharp curve of Cloud’s hips. Watching that pretty face as he gets a hand around Cloud’s length. Watches the fine pinch of his brow, the part of his lips. Andrea curls forward, rests his forehead against Cloud’s.</p>
<p>“Are you listening, Cloud…?”</p>
<p>Cloud’s expression flickers, softens as he makes a quiet affirmative noise. Andrea’s lips curl into a soft, fond smile. Keeps his eyes on Cloud’s as he strokes along the other’s length. Teasing brushes against the sensitive head. Smile growing when he feels Cloud stiffening further beneath the touch. Sees pleasure starting to edge into Cloud’s expression. Easing out some of that stubborn determination.</p>
<p>“Good.” Andrea murmurs, brushing the ends of their noses together gently. “I’d like nothing more at the moment than to have you fuck my thighs, my dear. Will you indulge me once again…?”</p>
<p>He sees Cloud’s hands tighten absently against the bedroll beneath them. Worrying the dark fabric between his fingers. Lets out a breath like a sigh before Cloud’s attention flickers fully back to him once more.</p>
<p>“Feels good for you, too?”</p>
<p>Andrea’s fairly certain he’s going to collapse into a useless pile of mush one day. Melting down beneath all the ridiculous tender weight of Cloud’s attention and focus. His desire for things to be ‘even’ between them. Silly, wonderful boy. All that does is simply fuel Andrea’s to shower Cloud in affection.</p>
<p>“Positively splendid. Especially to have you right…”</p>
<p>As he speaks Andrea shifts forward. Knees tucked tight against Cloud’s sides. Settles high up Cloud’s legs. So he can nestle that pretty, flushed length back properly between the bulk of his thighs. Flexes his muscles against the hard, heated shaft again and smiles at the flicker of pleasure he sees stutter over Cloud’s face.</p>
<p>“Mmm. There.”</p>
<p>Cloud looks skeptical to say the least. Still, Andrea’s happy to take the time to coax the other into giving it a shot. Rests his hands against Cloud’s stomach and glides them up. Deep, firm pressure across the smooth skin and the faint jut of his ribs. Ignores that too familiar stab of worry in his gut as he circles a finger around Cloud’s nipple. Teasing the other with just the faintest drag of his nail across the sensitive skin.</p>
<p>The sweet boy still huffs. The briefest clench of his stomach and Andrea can feel an echoing pulse in the cock cradled against him. Eyes lidded in pleasure, Andrea repeats the action, a little more pressure this time. God he adores how sensitive Cloud can be. So much of the reason it’s such a delight to both tease and overwhelm him with sensation.</p>
<p>“Yes…” Andrea hums around a smile when he feels Cloud shift beneath him. Evidently willing to give Andrea the benefit of the doubt. The dancer’s touched and all the more determined to ensure Cloud enjoys this much as Andrea knows he will. “Yes, <em>that’s</em> it precious. Move with me.” From where he is and what he wants, Andrea admits he doesn’t have much leverage. But he still rocks his hips in Cloud’s lap. Encouraging the other to shift with him in response. Adapting to the slow, steady rhythm beautifully. “You’re so very good at it.”</p>
<p>Cloud flushes a little more. Eyes darting away and down cast. Still not quite quick enough for Andrea to miss the spark of happiness that lights up their depths. Tucks a warm, contented smile on Andrea’s face in turn. Loves to see and know that Cloud’s enjoying himself. Even from such seemingly simple things. Besides, it isn’t as though Andrea’s not perfectly happy to sing the boy’s praises. And not only because it gets such sweet reactions from him—but because there is nothing false to any of them. Not when it comes to Cloud.</p>
<p>Andrea rolls his head a little. Biting at his lower lip as Cloud’s movements shift to something more certain still. The head of his cock brushing against Andrea’s balls or the base of his cock with near every upward stroke. He may not be as delightfully tender as Cloud is between those gorgeous legs of his. But that hardly seems to matter at the moment. Waves of slow building pleasure sparking through Andrea’s core as he watches Cloud start to chase his own pleasure in earnest. Delight and desire burning bright inside Andrea’s heart at the thought. At the feeling of Cloud’s length starting to weep gently against him.</p>
<p>With a low grunt, Cloud finally lets himself sink fully down. Hands releasing from their grip on the bedding beneath them to reach for Andrea. Sliding along and gripping at the dancer’s legs. Cloud’s eyes are fixed on him. Flickering with that otherworldly glow. Steadily growing brighter. A thrill lances up Andrea’s spine when he catches their attention wavering down from his eyes. Dropping down to fix upon Andrea’s groin. The bulge pressing at the front of his briefs is growing. Cock slowly, yet steadily flushing and stiffening against his thigh. Twitching almost sharp beneath the heady weight of Cloud’s attention. At the way those lovely lips part a little. Something like hunger flickering alongside the mako glow of his eyes.</p>
<p>“You see?” Andrea says, reaching a hand up to curl against Cloud’s chin. Tugging at him gently until those eyes turn back to his. Andrea sweeps his thumb slow along Cloud’s lower lip. “Never doubt that you make me feel <em>wonderful</em> my darling Cloud.”</p>
<p>“Andrea…”</p>
<p>Oh.</p>
<p>Andrea’s breath hitches tight in his throat. Feels a little like drowning. A little like fire and icy waters all at once. Shivers as the low rasp of Cloud’s voice crashes over him. A ripple through his whole body that has him tightening against Cloud once again. Unmeaning to but it breaks Cloud’s eyes away from his in a flash of pleasure. Enough that Andrea can catch his breath again. Something incredulous tripping out over his tongue. A laugh wrapped in wonder. How on this wide, wonderful, wild world Cloud ever doubts Andrea’s desires for him. When the simple, fiery <em>want</em> in his voice hits like a shock-wave and makes the dancers inside’s quake with need.</p>
<p>“Does it feel good, Cloud? Do you like it?” His own words come out in a rumble. Edged in heat. Rolls out and down nearly into a purr of pure delight at the way Cloud huffs. Nods.</p>
<p>“Y-yeah. I—<em>hah</em>.”</p>
<p>Cloud’s hips stutter hard against him as Andrea drags his fingers down Cloud’s chest. Tight and just a hint of nail. Andrea can’t even bring himself to feel bad for interrupting. Not with the way Cloud pulses hard between his thighs. The soft skin there growing slick as Cloud continues to spill pre-cum between them. Tacky and warm and beautiful in the flickering light.</p>
<p>Cloud’s legs shift beneath Andrea. The next moment there’s the press of his knees against the small of Andrea’s back. Cloud pulling back along the ground to brace his shoulders against the nearby wall. Easing into more of a seated position. Andrea slides his hands back along Cloud’s shoulders gripping them with a hum of delight when Cloud begins to move against him again. Stronger, sharper rolls of his hips that have the skin of their thighs slapping together. Loud, staccato beats against the stillness of the loft. Cloud with that sweet, concentrated furrow between his eyes.</p>
<p>Andrea keeps a close eye on the blond's expression. Rewards near every tiny moan or low rumbling gasp with a flex of his legs or a counter roll of his own hips. Watches the pleasure mount within Cloud’s expression and wanting, no, <em>needing</em> to see more of it. To hear more. To have more and more of Cloud. As much of himself as Cloud is willing to share. Greedy and all too willing to gorge himself. Wants to fold it- fold Cloud deep into the depths of his heart and never, ever let go.</p>
<p>Selfish.</p>
<p>Foolish.</p>
<p>Andrea distracts himself by leaning forward. Catching Cloud’s mouth in a slow, deep kiss and tasting the wonderful groan Cloud makes in turn. The gasp it turns into when Andrea toys with the sensitive skin at the back of his neck. Tugging at haphazard strands of gold.</p>
<p>The shift crushes Andrea’s roused cock between them. A delightful source of heat and pressure against his aching length. He’d push into it gladly, but he doesn’t want to interrupt the sweet rhythm Cloud’s finally found for himself. Most of him still tucked firm between Andrea’s thighs. But the new position leads to the head of Cloud’s cock running back along his balls. Brushing the curve of Andrea’s ass. It feels delightful, even through the fabric of his underwear. So instead Andrea contents himself with kissing the other thoroughly. Plundering the sweet heat of his mouth. Dipping his head to trail open mouthed kisses along his shoulders and clavicle. Pausing to worry pale skin between his teeth and grinning when Cloud’s rhythm stutters beneath every sporadic sharp hint of teeth.</p>
<p>Outside the wind has picked up. A distant howl across the plains that makes the study barn break and groan. From below them there’s the quiet, drowsy peeps and rustles from the housed birds. Dawn’s low even croon to her chicks.</p>
<p>If asked Andrea couldn’t be sure how long they rock together. Feels like forever. And yet no time at all. A slow, constant build of heat and pleasure. The air around them warm, yet somehow cool. Wraps around Andrea’s senses like a comfortable fog. Leaves him suspended in the moment. The clutch of Cloud’s hands against him. Digging at the skin of his sides and hips. Gliding along his back clutching him close. In the quiet, gorgeous sounds Cloud makes. His own answering rumbles and encouragements.</p>
<p>Cloud’s head ducks beneath his chin. The soft strands of his hair tickling Andrea’s heated skin. The damp heat of his breath falling hard against Andrea’s chest. Andrea curls a little further over him. Combs a hand along the back of Cloud’s head. Humming when he feels Cloud’s hands glide up. Following the line of his spine to curl against his shoulder blades. Something grounding to his touch Andrea can’t name, but adores.</p>
<p>“Missed you…”</p>
<p>Andrea almost misses the whispered words. Nearly lost beneath the sounds of their bodies shifting in tandem. And the pleasure chasing both their voices out in soft bursts of sounds and sighs.</p>
<p>“N-not just- <em>ngh!</em>” Cloud’s voice cuts off on a groan before he can finish. Hands seizing briefly against Andrea again. But Andrea hardly needs to hear the end of the thought to know it. Oh this foolish, darling boy of his. As though Andrea’s ever thought that were the case. “But I…”</p>
<p>“I know.” Andrea soothes. Cradles the back of Cloud’s neck gently and holds him close. Chest flooding with emotions too potent to put a single name to. Though Andrea will be the first to admit there may be one that comes close. Burns at the tip of his tongue even as he dips his head to nose tenderly at the top of Cloud’s.“I’ve missed you too, my darling.”</p>
<p>Cloud’s breath shudders out against his skin. Forehead pressing even harder to Andrea’s collarbone. Something quiet hovering on the edge of the noise he makes. Borders on overwhelmed even. Andrea slips his other arm around lean shoulders. Holding tight as Cloud does to him.</p>
<p>“S-shit. I—”</p>
<p>Andrea can feel it. Those tell-tale tremors starting up in Cloud’s legs. In the twitch of his abdomen and stomach beneath Andrea’s cock. Growing stronger beneath the shorter, harder rocks of his hips. Knows Cloud’s nearing his end. Sends a fresh rush of arousal singing through his veins.</p>
<p>“You’re almost there, aren’t you sweetheart?” A smile blossoms soft, but bright over Andrea’s face. Hand squeezing against the back of Cloud’s neck. Rubbing at the faintly sweat damp skin at his hairline tenderly. “Go on.”</p>
<p>Cloud’s hold on him shifts. One hand dropping to clutch at his side then hip. The other curling around his back. Grip tight, but not painful. Just enough to keep Andrea in place and the thought of that—of what it <em>could</em> be— makes Andrea groan.</p>
<p>“A-Andrea—”</p>
<p>Andrea closes his eyes. A deep, heartfelt sigh rumbling through his chest as he feels Cloud cum. Lean muscles tensing in slow hard beats. Nearly to the point of trembling. On and on in a beautiful series of waves. Andrea’s happy to ride each one. Matching the height of them with a tight squeeze of his thighs just to push Cloud a little higher into his pleasure. Keeps Cloud snug against him until that tension fades out. Bleeding into the air of the barn and leaving Cloud panting into his skin.</p>
<p>“Hmm...there we are. That’s a good boy.”</p>
<p>Cloud shudders. Sharp as the plaintive noise leaks from his nose. Andrea feels his softening cock twitch. Cloud shifts beneath him again and Andrea feels the furrow of his brow against his shoulder. Cloud’s hands both drop to his hips. Pressure firm as he pushes at Andrea. Gentle, but clearly intent.</p>
<p>Ah. Sweet boy’s probably sensitive. The friction between them was good, but rather harsh given the lack of lube. So Andrea lets himself be prodded at. Curious when it doesn’t stop. Surprised when he finds himself shuffled around. Settles with his back against Cloud’s front.</p>
<p>Cloud’s head falls between his shoulders. His breath slowly edging down into something more even. His hands are still curled against Andrea’s sides, but the grip has eased into something almost tender. Lean, strong fingers brushing along Andrea’s skin. Toying with the waistband of his briefs.</p>
<p>With the feel of Cloud’s cooling release against his skin and the firm press of his body along his back, Andrea’s attention is drawn sharply to his own lingering need. Cock sitting hard in the tent it's made of the tight material. And now that he doesn’t have the pressure of Cloud against him, it’s harder to ignore the needy ache in his loins.</p>
<p>Andrea certainly can’t imagine Cloud would be opposed to him taking care of himself. Not with the way the boy’d fretted earlier about Andrea enjoying himself. So Andrea shifts a little. Settles more comfortably against Cloud as he starts to slide a hand down his front. Toying with himself a little along the way, because where’s the fun if one jumps right to the main event?</p>
<p>His fingers are just brushing the thin trail of wiry hair beneath his belly button when Cloud moves behind him. A brush of lips to the tender skin at the base of his neck before Cloud’s chin hooks over his shoulder. A smile tugs at Andrea’s lips as he glances over.</p>
<p>“Hello beautiful.”</p>
<p>Cloud’s watching him. Eyes lidded in a way that’d look lazy if not for the focus in them. Intent and fiery. Attention sliding down the length of Andrea’s torso. Fixed upon the dancer’s hand still moving languid towards his cock.</p>
<p>“Want me to touch myself?”</p>
<p>“...Yeah.”</p>
<p>The agreeable rasp and rumble of Cloud’s voice sends a new shiver streaking through Andrea’s spine. Eyes hooded and grin all too pleased. How fun. It’s been a long time since he got to put on a show.</p>
<p>And truthfully, he cannot think of an audience he’s ever wished to perform more for. So Andrea takes great delight in it. Hooking his fingers in the band of his briefs. Tugging them down just enough to hook them beneath his balls. Splaying his legs wide on either side of Cloud’s. Bracing himself to give leverage to the slow, sinuous rolls of his hips. Stutters a little into the touch of his hand against the sensitive, leaking head.</p>
<p>Those glowing eyes flicker. Like Cloud can’t decide what he’d rather watch more. Andrea’s hand on his cock or his face. It’s heady and flattering and sends a rush of liquid fire shivering through Andrea’s body. Sprinkles just a dash more <em>need</em> into his motions. Into the pace of his hand. The sounds spilling from between his parted, kiss swollen lips even surprise Andrea a little.</p>
<p>Cloud mumbles something against his neck and Andrea hums. Tilting his head to lean against the side of Cloud’s face. A wordless question into his skin.</p>
<p>“...show me…”</p>
<p>It isn’t quite a demand, but neither is it a question. An offer perhaps, as Cloud’s hand brushes his. Andrea’s all too happy to take whatever it is. Releases himself and ignores the sharp, protesting throb of arousal. Knows it will soon be sated by something far better than his own touch.</p>
<p>He catches Cloud’s offered hand. Curling his own around the back of it, twining their fingers together. Strokes along the delicate length of them before brushing along his cock once more. He teases himself again. Reveling in the difference of Cloud’s touch to his own. The calluses of his hand as wonderful a sensation against them as they had been the first time. The drag soothed a little by the fact Andrea’s already begun to leak delicate beads of pre. Still Andrea sweeps their hands back up. Shivering as they drag along the pulsing underside vein. Curls Cloud’s palm over the head of his cock and squeezes himself with it. Rolling their hands in a wide circle then back down the hard shaft.</p>
<p>As with their dances, Cloud proves himself to be a damn near perfect partner. Allowing Andrea to lead them along without complaint until he has a proper feel for the rhythm and motion. Adapts to it so quickly, so easily, it feels like no time at all before Andrea’s letting <em>him</em> lead. And finds himself—both unsurprisingly, yet almost unexpectedly—happy to be pulled along in Cloud’s wake.</p>
<p>“Yes…” Andrea sighs, smile warm on his face as his hand drifts away from guiding Cloud’s entirely. Cloud uses his new found freedom to pick up both the pace and pressure just a touch. Deliciously so and Andrea gasps. “Oh yes. Just like that sweetheart. A-<em>aah—</em>”</p>
<p>Cloud’s free arm drapes itself around Andrea’s waist. Hold firm, but not restricting. Makes it almost too easy for Andrea to lose himself to sensation. The feel of Cloud’s body against his. The touch of his hands. But also the images that are still sprouting in the back of Andrea’s mind. Fueled by the clutch of Cloud’s hands against him and the catch of his breath. Pressure building low in his gut. Rising higher and heart. Pounding in time to the pulse of his heart in his chest.</p>
<p>“Cloud…” Andrea’s voice fragments on a breathy laugh. Stuttering as Cloud’s thumb rolls just beneath the head of his cock. A move Andrea adores and<em> definitely</em> didn’t show him. Means Cloud’s experimenting as he’s want to do. The thought sparks like slow lighting along Andrea’s nerves.“Oh you <em>perfect</em> boy.”</p>
<p>He’s loath to throw off the incredible rhythm Cloud’s found, but he can’t seem to stop the roll or odd stutter of his hips. Pushing further into that already perfect pressure. Into the moments Cloud palms the leaking head. The roll of his hand firm, but never truly rough. Or the ones when Cloud’s attention drifts lower. Squeezing tight against the base of his cock, only to drag his hand up to just beneath the head with that same delectable pressure.</p>
<p>Headiest of all, perhaps, is that fact Cloud’s watching him. Attention still torn perhaps, but Andrea feels the heat of those eyes against the side of his face. Raking along his body. A low banked smolder that only adds to the rising flames within him. Chases out both his breath and voice in throaty groans and heated gasps. Gentle litanies of adoration and Cloud’s name.</p>
<p>Hell, he hadn’t thought himself so close to the edge. But it’s suddenly yawning open just before him. Bright, breathless heat pounding all through him. Andrea clutches at Cloud’s arm. Trying to ground himself before the rush of his heart in his ears. Feels Cloud’s grip on him tighten in return.</p>
<p>“H-<em>haah</em>. Cloud. Sweetheart, I—” Andrea’s voice breaks on a moan as Cloud’s hand stills. Tight against him as Andrea pushes up into the pressure. “God, that feels amazing. You’re so good. <em>Fuck</em>—”</p>
<p>Close. Close, so close. He wants it, yet doesn’t want it to end. But he knows it must. Impossible to hold strong in the face of Cloud’s touch. The weight of his gaze. The low pleased rumbles in his chest that vibrate through Andrea’s back and hover in his chest. Beating against his composure like a drum. He’s too close. He’s going to cum. Inevitable as the rising sun and Andrea wants it. He needs—</p>
<p>“Yeah…” Andrea could not name the tone in Cloud’s voice if he tried. Warm, whispered breath right against the curve of his jaw. Just at the edge of his beard. Rushes across his skin like a gentle caress of water. Of light. Ignites something deep inside Andrea’s soul and sets it to trembling. “Wanna see you. C’mon.”</p>
<p>Andrea’s whole core pulls tight at the whispered confession. Muscles trembling in a swell of need, wonder and desire. Andrea spills against Cloud’s hand with a gasp. A long contented sigh as release floods through him. Not as <em>explosive</em> perhaps, as some moments they have shared. But good.</p>
<p>He sinks his weight back into Cloud again. Absolutely trusting the grip of Cloud’s arm around his waist to support him. Settles his forehead against the crook of Cloud’s neck and closes his eyes. Breaths in the warm, familiar scent of him.</p>
<p>Realizes, vaguely that Cloud’s moving them, still so gentle. Hears the rustle of cloth and click of metal. Something liquid sloshing. Then Cloud’s warmth curls around him again. Pulls a faintly tired smile onto Andrea’s face when hands brush along his thighs. A faintly startled grunt when that warm it followed by the swipe of a damp cloth as Cloud starts cleaning him up. The water’s cold of course. Enough to shake Andrea a little from his post-orgasmic high. With a glancing kiss to the side of Cloud’s neck, Andrea makes himself sit up at least a bit more properly. Doesn’t seem fair to leave the mess of clean up to Cloud’s hands alone when Andrea’d been the one to ‘initiate’ as it were.</p>
<p>But before Andrea can do more than reach to take over for the other he’s stopped. Cloud’s free hand intercepts his. Gently nudging it away. That concentrated gaze doesn’t so much as flicker in his direction as Andrea blinks at him.</p>
<p>“I got it.”</p>
<p>Thoughtless. Simple. So damn sweet Andrea swears he feels his heart cracking somewhere deep inside his chest. Swallows back the tremble that would have his voice shaking and smiles. A touch crooked.</p>
<p>“Hardly seems fair my dear.”</p>
<p>“’s fine. You took care of it last time.”</p>
<p>Oh this boy absolutely doesn’t play fair in the slightest. How’s Andrea just supposed to sit idle beneath all this careful attention? Beneath the calm even certainty in his face? The mesmerizing glint of his eyes?</p>
<p>It almost makes Andrea want to sulk— if only to put a damper on the surge of emotion threatening to build too sharp in his chest.</p>
<p>But he can’t bring himself to. Not even to pretend at one. To do so would only be an insult to the tender care Cloud seems to intent on showering him with. So instead Andrea settles against Cloud once more. Comfortable with the edge of that sweet haze still hovering just at the edge of his mind. Shifts his legs or arches his body to give Cloud as easy a time of it as he can. Helping as much as Cloud will let him get away with.</p>
<p>Which admittedly isn’t much. If anything Andrea finds his attention split between Cloud’s gentle attention and hushing the boy’s quiet apologies when Andrea flinches from the touch of cold against his cock as Cloud wipes him up. Cloud’s still quick to tuck him back carefully away into his briefs. Sweet, even if Andrea’ll have to change them before they turn in anyway.</p>
<p>“Guess you were right.” Cloud voice is soft, even for him. Something quiet and contemplative just beneath the surface. Trickles along Andrea’s nerves like the gentle, if firm swipe of the cloth against his fingers and palm. Cleaning the slight mess on Andrea’s hand. Nowhere near as bad as the one that had marked Cloud’s, but he swears Cloud takes more time with him. Andrea blinks, frowns briefly as he glances towards Cloud.</p>
<p>“About?”</p>
<p>Cloud doesn’t answer him. At least, not right away. But the quiet’s not a worrying thing this time. Because Andrea can see it simply exists because Cloud’s so intently focused on the task he’s set himself. A few minutes drift by before Cloud’s satisfied. One last sweeping glance along them both before Cloud nods and tosses the rag away to be dealt with later. Andrea hums, stretching languidly, before settling cross legged. Still tucked between Cloud’s. He twists to look back at the blond when the other’s quiet still.</p>
<p>“What was I right about?” Andrea prods after a moment. Genuinely curious, because he can’t think of what Cloud’s referring to.</p>
<p>Cloud blinks at him. Slow. Something shifting surprised beneath his eyes. Like he hadn’t realized he hadn’t finished his early thought. His gaze darts. Dropping down and away towards Andrea’s lap. To their hands, Andrea realizes when Cloud gently prods at one of his. Andrea lets him take it, turn it. Watches those beautiful fingers slide along his palm. Tracing the lines carefully, before they slip neatly between his.</p>
<p>“Fittin’ together.” Cloud finishes. Neatly. Quietly. That surprising lilt in his voice. Something sweet and embarrassed in the way he can’t quite hold Andrea’s gaze as he says it. Eyes determinedly fixed towards their joined hands.</p>
<p>It’s just as well, Andrea supposes, because he has absolutely no idea what his face looks like at that moment. A ripple of shock running through him, yet it isn’t cold. If anything it’s warm. Too warm. Bubbling up his throat. Pushing hard at the back of his eyes. The breath he manages to let out after a few too quick heartbeats shakes. Not sure if it’s the sound of it that catches Cloud’s attention or something else. But Cloud looks up at him again. The remnants of that beautifully surreal glow still hovering in their depths.</p>
<p>God...sometimes Andrea swears that expression in Cloud’s eyes is going to stop his heart. Full of so, <em>so</em> much. So much more than Andrea could ever hope to name given all the time in the world. Chokes his own words in his chest before they even become thoughts.</p>
<p>So he kisses Cloud instead. Catches that beautiful face between his hands and tugs him close even as Andrea leans in. Catches his lips and the sweet surprised noise Cloud makes in answer. Kisses him slow and deep. Pulling him closer and wrapping Cloud tight in his arms. Cloud huffs a breath through his nose and blessedly sinks into Andrea’s touch.</p>
<p>It is not fire that washes through Andrea as he sends them in a slow topple back against the bedding. It’s water. A slow rising, but steady flood. Fills his bones and the cavity of his chest. Filters through him in place of his blood. Pounds in his throat in place of the pulse of his heart. Fills every inch of his mind, heart and soul. He could drown in it.</p>
<p>But he doesn’t.</p>
<p>He doesn’t because Cloud’s his lifeline and he’s clutching Andrea right back. Bodies curled together. Hands coming up to cradle his jaw. Holding on even as their lips drift apart. Both breathing like they’d just broken the surface of a bottomless river.</p>
<p><em>Mine</em>. Andrea thinks as he stares at Cloud’s face. Knows he shouldn’t. Knows it’s wrong and unfair. Possessive and horrible. But by Gaia Herself there’s never been anything, <em>anyone</em> that he wants more. Wants Cloud in ways he’d never imagined. Wants to share himself and his life with this impossible, sweet, brave soul. The way Cloud has for him. The way he’s doing right now, being where they are.</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Is blessedly all that manages to slip from Andrea’s lips. Rough against his throat with the weight of emotion still threatening to choke him. He sees the twin flickers in Cloud’s eyes. Confusion and concern twisting around each other behind the faint furrow of his brow. Andrea reaches. Brushes a long strand of hair from Cloud’s face. Smiles and almost shivers as Cloud catches his hand. Holds it there, against his cheek.</p>
<p>It’s clear Cloud doesn’t understand. And for once Andrea’s glad for it. Glad Cloud hadn’t seen the ugly, possessive side of Andrea rear it’s head from the shadows. Cloud deserves better than that. Deserves more.</p>
<p>Deserves to be free, out here in his ‘big’ world.</p>
<p>“Hey…”</p>
<p>Oh. Damn. Andrea’s worried him. Truly. Can see it in those damnably perfect eyes. Cloud’s voice carrying that same cautious note that it had when Andrea’d broken down and cried on him over nothing. That won’t do. No way at all to end such a perfectly wonderful day.</p>
<p>So Andrea arches up. Kisses Cloud again. Lingering until a bit of that tension slips out of Cloud’s shoulders once again. Pulls back enough to speak and gaze at the hint of his reflection in Cloud’s luminous eyes.</p>
<p>“Let’s get some sleep, my darling. I must admit I’m rather tired from all the fun today.”</p>
<p>The furrow of Cloud’s brow twitches. Deepens for a heartbeat or two. Eyes tracking between Andrea’s. Fair enough. It had been a rather poor attempt at distraction on Andrea’s part.</p>
<p>“I’m alright sweetheart. Honest.” Andrea means it too. He just needs to remember to keep such ugliness out of his head. Cloud deserves nothing but his best. And Andrea’s put too much work into burying his worst these past long years to slip now.</p>
<p>Cloud- sweet, darling, wonderful, stubborn Cloud sighs. A look flickering in the back of his eyes before he tucks it away again. Nods and pushes himself up off Andrea again. Rocking back onto his knees and turning so he can reach for both their bags. Passes Andrea’s his as the two of them dress themselves properly once again. Once they have, Andrea catches Cloud between his hands again. Pressing a gentle, apologetic kiss to the edge of his mouth. Humming, startled, but pleased as Cloud turns to catch him properly before he can pull away. Still an edge of worry there, Andrea can feel it hovering like a storm cloud. But it’s a quiet one. Gives way to Cloud’s silent acceptance as the two of them settle together again.</p>
<p>They don’t use the second bedroll in the end.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Venom In My Soul</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>C/W's for this chapter are blood and injury, and rather intense panic/anxiety attacks that occur basically from the time Andrea gets home to the end of the chapter. If you're not in a good head space for that right now, just give it a skip. I can summarize things in the end notes if people'd like! Just leave a comment and lemme know &lt;3</p>
<p>As every, Avasti is incredible and the very best of souls. And shout out to the Discord cryptid lovlies for being absolutely phenomenal and letting me rant about my shit ^^" &lt;3 I adore you all so, so much!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The loft is <em>much</em> cooler upon waking than it was when they drifted off. Andrea’s shoulders hunch reflexively towards his chin as the cool air runs unkind fingers against the back of his neck. Dragging him closer to the edge of properly waking, but he fights it. The front of him’s plenty warm. A low, sedating heat radiating off of the man in front of him.</p>
<p>Andrea hums and drags Cloud closer with a sleepy mumble. Not that there was much, if any space between them beforehand. The bedroll wasn’t exactly made for two, but they’d made it work more or less. And if Andrea’s has to bear the brunt of that on his shoulders- somewhat literally- he supposes it’s a small price to pay. Andrea ducks his face down into the warmth of Cloud’s neck. Closes his eyes and breathes in the familiar chemical sharpness of Cloud’s skin. Still weakened from the day spent around the ranch. Lips to the calm, even thud of Cloud’s pulse.</p>
<p>“Your nose ‘s cold.” Comes the sleep slurred, rough edged complaint a moment later. Andrea chuckles and hums.</p>
<p>“I know. So now I’m warming it up.” Andrea replies softly, nuzzling happily into Cloud’s skin. Feels Cloud sigh from where his arm’s draped across the blond’s lean waist. Evidently Cloud’s not <em>too</em> perturbed by Andrea’s chills being foisted on him because he doesn’t make any real attempt to get away. Though he does twist his face away and duck down a little further into the warmth of the bedding.</p>
<p>Andrea drags Cloud closer. Rolling them slightly so Cloud’s tucked under him a little. To make up for the admittedly mean wake up call. It’s still rather dark up in the loft. Only a touch of greyish light slipping through the entrance. God only knows what time it is. Either way Andrea’s certainly not read to greet the day just yet. Not when it’d mean losing this moment.</p>
<p>
  <em>Not yet.</em>
</p>
<p>Besides, he’s not being the only cruel one this morning. Cloud hiding that pretty face between the mess of his hair and the pillow. Buries his face in soft gold and nosing at the back of Cloud’s ear. Feathering his lips against the tender skin behind it. Hums in his chest and smiles against Cloud’s skin at the still sleepy little grumble the other lets out.</p>
<p>There’s a creak and a rattle below them. Andrea feels Cloud tense beneath him slightly. Both of them listening as the barn door creaks open with a low rattle. Quiet footsteps echoing through the air. Beneath him Cloud relaxes again.</p>
<p>“Probably Denzel.” Cloud says, voice low as he sighs. “None of the rancher’s tiptoe around out here.”</p>
<p>“Ah. Come to see the chicks, I’m sure.” Andrea’d caught the boy darting in here every chance he could yesterday. Doubts that excitement's been at all tempered even with a full nights sleep. Cloud hums.</p>
<p>“Mm. Marlene’s probably not far—”</p>
<p>“Denzel! Wait up! You said you’d wait for me!”</p>
<p>Both of them flinch a bit at the loud sound of the girl’s voice ringing through the once quiet air. The loud echoing creak of the barn door and ruffle of feathers and rustle of hay as some of the sleeping birds are disturbed too.</p>
<p>“Shhh! Didn’t you hear Tifa? She said Cloud and Andi are sleeping.” Denzel calls back, voice only just lower than hers. Andrea chuckles, both at the kids and Denzel’s well meaning thoughtfulness.</p>
<p>“Sorry.” Andrea can picture the girl’s sheepish smile.</p>
<p>The kids start shuffling around the barn. Andrea can hear one of them enter the tack room underneath. A rustle and a thud then another creak. Quiet words passed back and forth between them.</p>
<p>Cloud moves beneath him and Andrea eases back much as he can to give the other space. Smiles as Cloud shifts around to face him with an adorably lazy stretch. A stifled yawn and a sweet wrinkle of his nose. Those stunning, peaceful eyes fixing on his.</p>
<p>“Sleep okay?”</p>
<p>Andrea smiles, warm and slow as he settles on a forearm. Braced easily beside Cloud’s head as his other reaches to brush his cheek. For no real reason, just that Andrea wants to touch him. Tracing the sharp, yet delicate lines of his face.</p>
<p>“I did, thank you. You?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>“Glad to hear it.” Andrea replies, tapping the gentle upturn of Cloud’s nose and chuckling at how it wrinkles beneath his touch. There’s laughter below them, bright as it rings around the gloom of the loft. The kids must’ve headed in to see the chicks once more given how close it sounds. Cloud’s head turns towards it reflexively. Something tender hovering in that still sleepy gaze. There’s a lot of things Andrea likes about Cloud’s face.</p>
<p>But he thinks happiness may just be his favorite look on him. Needles at his heart a little how rare that simple, easy peace seems to come. It’s one of the big reasons he’d wanted to follow them all out here once again. To know that Cloud’s actually allowing himself a break from the mess and horror of his work.</p>
<p>Cloud’s eyes flicker back to him, a rush of surprise flickering in their depths. Andrea’s not sure what exactly his expression’s doing to warrant it. Still he dips down, pausing with their mouths a scant inch apart. Waits.</p>
<p>With a sigh through his nose Cloud closes the distance between them. Brushing their lips together with something approaching caution. A smile flickers over Andrea’s as he settles down a little closer. Vanishing as they meet in earnest. Glides a hand into Cloud’s hair, brushing it back from his face. Feels one of Cloud’s brush against his jaw. Just the lightest trace of fingers against his beard.</p>
<p>“Should probably get up.” Cloud murmurs as they drift apart again. Eyes lidded and expression still holding an edge of calm to it that drags a smile onto Andrea’s face again. Hovers there even as the dancer dips his head.</p>
<p>“Probably.” Andrea echoes. Too busy nosing at the soft skin beneath Cloud’s jaw to really mean it. Or move.</p>
<p>Not yet.</p>
<p>Cloud elbows him off a few minutes later. No where near the force to hurt at all, but Andrea still makes a dramatic, wounded noise as he flops back against the cold, unforgiving floor.</p>
<p>He is, of course, ignored.</p>
<p>Cloud’s hair is adorably, endearingly tousled. Falling messily about his face in all it’s haphazard strands. Andrea reminded once again there’s a few reasons Cloud styles it as he usually does. It makes him look...young. Which Cloud is, of course, but there’s a particular kind of softness to him at the moment. Easing out his hard edges. Though that could just be the baggy, navy shirt hanging off his lean frame.</p>
<p>Andrea gets caught staring, but he just smiles at the quirk of Cloud’s brow. Cloud’s expression flickers a little before he sighs, rolling up onto his feet. Stooping to avoid the low ceiling as he heads for his bag and pile of clothes he tidied before they’d turned in.</p>
<p>The two of them dress to greet the day quickly. The morning air still chilled enough to warrant the quick pace. Cloud finishes first of course. Gripping his harness in hand and jumping down from the loft easily just as Andrea’s finishing lacing his boots.</p>
<p>“Hey Cloud!” Denzel greets his guardian brightly, just coming out of Dawn’s stall. He’s got an empty pail in hand. “Hi Andi, good morning.”</p>
<p>“Morning.” Andrea replies, climbing down that ladder that Cloud braces for him once again. Hops down to the stone floor easily. Glances around, but doesn’t see Marlene. She must still be with the chicks.</p>
<p>“I already made sure they had food and water.” Denzel pipes up, a tentative but proud smile on his face. Andrea smiles. Endeared as always by how much the boy admires Cloud and seeks his approval. Sweet, just like the tender expression washing over Cloud’s face. Hovering bright in his eyes.</p>
<p>“Good work.” Cloud says, reaching out to ruffle Denzel’s hair. The boy grins. “Want to give me a hand with Munin?”</p>
<p>Denzel blinks at him, dark eyes wide. “Can I?”</p>
<p>“Can I help too?” Marlene chimes in. popping her head out from behind the boy.</p>
<p>“Sure.” Cloud nods and both the kids hurry to do the chores he asks of them. Marlene hurrying off to grab a pitchfork from the tack room and Denzel to fill his pail with fresh water. Cloud turns to him.</p>
<p>“You can head inside if you want. Won’t be long.”</p>
<p>The offer is sweet of course, but not one Andrea wants to take. Tucks his chilled hands into the pockets of his coat. “I don’t mind. Anything I can do to help?”</p>
<p>He ends up helping Cloud haul a few stout hay bails over to Munin’s stall. The beautiful bird greeting them with a cheery <em>wark</em> and an impatient paw at the mussed hay scattered about the floor of her room. Marlene hurries over with the requested pitchfork and then scampers off again to grab one of the simple halters and lead ropes too. Cloud thanks her as he takes it, edging into Munin’s stall to loop it over the bird’s head and lead her out. Attaches her to the door of one of the occupied stalls across the way before he disappears again for a moment. Marlene hops up on one of the hay bales as Denzel joins them.</p>
<p>“Is there a reason Cloud doesn’t put her out with the others?” Andrea asks, absently stroking Munin’s neck as the bird hovers beside him.</p>
<p>“He does sometimes, but only if he can keep an eye on her.” Denzel replies as he sets down his bucket. Out of the way of anybody’s feet.</p>
<p>“Oh?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Bad people’ve tried to steal her before.”</p>
<p>“Truly?” Andrea blinks. Glances over towards Munin. Remembers what Cloud’d said that first trip. About her being ‘rare’. Clearly he was right to suspect Cloud had been downplaying things.</p>
<p>“Not for a long time.” Cloud replies as he heads back towards them. An empty box cradled beneath one arm. “But I don’t want to make any extra trouble for Bill and the kids. She’s enough of a handful as is—” Munin flaps her shimmering wings as he comes close. Butting up against him hard enough to get an eyeroll out of Cloud. “Knows it too.”</p>
<p>“It’s true. She can jump the fence and everything.” Marlene volunteers helpfully, a laugh in her voice. Andrea chuckles.</p>
<p>“Quite the talented little queen, aren’t you Money?”</p>
<p>Munin fluffs her feathers imperiously. Dipping her head to preen beneath one of her wings.</p>
<p>“Talented at trouble.” Cloud grumbles, not a lick of meanness to his voice as he pats the side of Munin’s neck absently. Scoops up the pitchfork and jerks his head at Denzel. “Can you show Andrea where the wheelbarrows are? Marlene, you’re with me.”</p>
<p>Denzel and Andrea head off on a bit of an unexpected adventure. Andrea getting introduced to the secondary little storeroom that’s kept tucked against the back of the barn proper. A bit of shuffling through old banged up equipment to unearth one of the wheelbarrows for Cloud. They come back to find the box Cloud’d brought along is now filled with all of Munin’s various trophies and prizes. Marlene perched up on Cloud’s shoulders as she dusts off the top shelf. Cloud’s got bits of straw in his wild hair that Andrea would put good gil on Marlene having stuck there.</p>
<p>From there the four of them are quick to get things tidied up. Cloud clearing out the dirty bedding in record time and all of them helping to scatter the new evenly across the floor. Andrea tops off Munin’s water with what Denzel’d brought to them and Marlene helps Cloud fetch one of the heavier sacks of feed to top off the trough.</p>
<p>Cloud leaves them to go dump the old hay. Putting them in charge of giving Munin a once over. Apparently this is a <em>big</em> deal, because the kids both look both floored and excited by the prospect. So they get Munin back into her freshly made stall easily enough. She certainly seems appreciative of the attention. Hovering proudly in place as the kids work her over with brushes and gentle hands. Soaking up the quiet praise with a vanity that Andrea certainly can’t begrudge the beautiful creature for.</p>
<p>“When are you gonna take her back to the Saucer, Cloud?” Denzel asks, voice a little cautious once he comes back to them. Eyeing their work on the chocobo.</p>
<p>“Dunno.” Cloud says, a flicker of <em>something</em> beneath his gaze for less than a heartbeat. Leaves a brief sense of unease hovering in Andrea’s chest. Like Cloud’s words from yesterday afternoon. “C’mon. I wanna look over those chicks.”</p>
<p>Denzel hurries ahead of them as they leave Munin to her breakfast. Marlene splits away from them to go and spend time with Pops who’d stuck his neck over the gate across the way. Warbling at her in greeting. Denzel hops up onto the gate of Dawn’s stall and hangs on as Cloud steps inside. His blue chick peeping at Cloud as he picks his way over towards them. Feathers ruffling, puffing out a little make it appear larger than it is. Honestly, Andrea just thinks the attempt makes the baby bird that much more adorable.</p>
<p>“Tough guy, huh?” Cloud intones, voice flat. Denzel laughs as Cloud eases down to the ground. Glances back over his shoulder. “Figure out a name?”</p>
<p>“I’m gonna call him Tetsuya.”</p>
<p>Cloud nods, tearing the green he’d plucked from the trough into a handful of smaller pieces. Holds one out in quiet offering to the babies. “You tell Chloe yet?”</p>
<p>Denzel shakes his head, arching up on his toes a bit to see better. “I will. Wanted to make sure it fit first.”</p>
<p>The yellow chick’s the first to move towards Cloud. Peeping quietly as it picks it’s way over the trampled bed of hay. Dark eyes wide and curious as it tips its head this way and that. Eyeing Cloud then the treat. Arches it’s little head forward a moment more and hastily plucks the green from Cloud’s fingers. Cloud lets it go easy enough. Head tilted in a considering way.</p>
<p>“Good instincts.” He says and Andrea can tell it’s a compliment even beneath Cloud’s even tone.</p>
<p>“Uh...threat assessment, right?” Denzel chimes after a moment.</p>
<p>“Mm.” Cloud nods as he reaches out to brush a hand against the chick’s side. The bird eyes him, but doesn’t spook. “Learning how to size up trouble ‘ll keep you alive longer than just about anything.” As the yellow baby finishes their treat, Cloud scoops it up off the ground. Bracing a firm hand around it’s front, bearing most of its weight easily. Holds his other hand out for the chick to stand on. He’s quiet a moment, then a brief frown crosses his face. “Hmm.”</p>
<p>“Cloud?” Denzel’d obviously noticed the shift in Cloud too. Leans a little further into the room. Something worried beneath the boy’s voice at his guardian’s seriousness.</p>
<p>“Left foot’s a little crooked.” Cloud explains, brushing a thumb over the tiny limb. Andrea can see it now too as Cloud lifts the chick a little more to eye level.</p>
<p>“Is that bad?”</p>
<p>“It could be.” Cloud says. Andrea finds himself once again surprised at how open Cloud is with the kids. Especially when it comes to painful things. Sweet, in a strange way. Because Andrea knows there’s respect behind his words. Respect for the fact they’re both smart individuals, who’ve seen far more trouble in their lives than most. ”Dumpling had something similar when he hatched. I gotta let Billy know.”</p>
<p>Cloud’s careful as he sets the baby down again. Watching closely as it hops away, something just a touch off kilter about it’s gait. Andrea feels Denzel tense slightly beside him, the edge of worry in his voice only growing sharper.</p>
<p>“Is Tetsuya okay?”</p>
<p>The blue bundle of feathers is already in Cloud’s hands even as Denzel voices his concerns. Blue-green eyes looking over the chick carefully. It’s only a minute or so before Cloud nods, lowering Tetsuya down again and offering him part of the leafy treat in apology.</p>
<p>“He’s fine.” Cloud says and Denzel sighs in relief, a smile flickering to life on his face though the little frown remains. “What’s it look like out there?”</p>
<p>“Foggy. Bill said it rolled in off the marsh this morning.”</p>
<p>Cloud hums, nods. Sets the chick back down. It hurries off back towards the warmth of the nest as Cloud pushes himself up to his feet. Dusting off his hands. Stands to the side to let Denzel duck under his arm into the pen.</p>
<p>“Don’t stay out here too long. I’m sure they’ve got breakfast going already.”</p>
<p>“I won’t.” Denzel replies, attention on the two tussling chicks. Settling on the ground close to them carefully. Dawn’s still dozing, only popping one dark eye open to eye Denzel a moment before she settles again with a little murmur.</p>
<p>“Marlene? You coming in?” Cloud calls back into the barn as he and Andrea head towards the doors.</p>
<p>“Not yet!”</p>
<p>Andrea’s not surprised and obviously neither’s Cloud. The blond pushing the doors open easily to let the both slip out into the brisk morning air.</p>
<p>Denzel wasn’t kidding when he’d said it was foggy. A thick blanket of grey-white mist hovers all around. Hard to see more than a few feet in any direction and beyond the ranch the whole world’s hazed over.</p>
<p>It feels oddly claustrophobic.</p>
<p>Even Cloud seems a bit surprised by it. Just the faintest falter in his step as he glances around. An absent frown on his face.</p>
<p>“Is this unusual?” Andrea asks, sticking close as Cloud starts to head off towards the pen, where a familiar hatted silhouette is puttering around.</p>
<p>“Kinda. Doesn’t usually come in this heavy.” Cloud replies as they reach the fence. His sharp eyes scanning over the flock. “You rent some of them out, Billy?”</p>
<p>“Yup. Couple of folk’s came by <em>real</em> early heading for the mines. Tryin’ to make it to Junon or somethin’.” The boy replies with a shrug. Cloud pauses, an expression flickering briefly across his face Andrea can’t quite place. Confused, wary and surprised all at once.</p>
<p>“They were crossing the swamp?”</p>
<p><em>In this</em>? Andrea can’t help but think. Who in their right mind would even attempt such a thing?</p>
<p>“I told ‘em it was a bad idea, but they were real insistent.” Billy replies with a shrug, shaking out the last of the feed into the trough. “Kinda like you all when ya first came through. Felt kinda bad though. The girl with him seemed pretty scared.”</p>
<p>“Well. Long as they take the straight shot across, the birds ‘ll be plenty fast enough. Specially this early in the season.” Cloud says, but Andrea notices the way his eyes track out towards the field. Out in the direction of the mountains they can’t make out through the fog.</p>
<p>“Yeah. That’s the only reason I lent ‘em out. Well, that and the gil was nice. Pretty close to being able to set up that second corral now.”</p>
<p>“Hmm.”</p>
<p>“Cloud?”</p>
<p>Tifa’s voice sounds through the air. Like everything else it sounds oddly muffled. Distant, even though Andrea knows, logically, the house is only a few feet away from where they’re standing.</p>
<p>“Yeah?” Cloud calls back, already turning towards where the sound had come from.</p>
<p>“Can you give me a hand with this?”</p>
<p>Andrea’ grateful to duck into the warmth of the ranch house. Hadn’t realized the morning cold had settled so deep into him until he’s out of it. He winds up parked on the couch beside Biggs, who’s been apparently told to “Sit the hell down.” by Barret because of an old injury acting up. Indeed the man looks a little pale. A hand resting gingerly against his side. Though he just offers Andrea a tired eye roll and begs for conversation with a memory from his days in Midgar.</p>
<p>The others are all busy, bustling about the open kitchen getting the remains of breakfast sorted for their large party. Whatever it is they’re cooking up smells delicious. Before long they’re all settled into the nooks and crannies all through the house. Feasting upon a massive vat of porridge and thick slices of butter and jam slathered toast. There’s chatter and laughter as there was yesterday, but Andrea can’t help but feel a strange tension in the air. He blames the odd weather, not sure what else to pin it on.</p>
<p>Once their meal is done and tidied for the day, Andrea follows Cloud back outside once again. Both he and Billy head off towards the barn to check on the little chick and Andrea finds himself perched up on the fence of the pen. Thankfully as the day rolls on the fog seems to be dissipating a little. Not quite the primordial soup they’d walked into before. Still, the hazy wall between him and the world beyond plucks at the unease cords vibrating in Andrea’s chest.</p>
<p>It doesn’t take long for Billy and Cloud to finish their inspection. Billy doesn’t seem too fussed by the chick’s predicament but Andrea imagines he’s seen similar cases- and worse- many times in his line of work. Still he promises to keep a close watch on them and call if it gets better. Or worse. Cloud comes over to lean against the fence barely a foot from where Andrea’s seated. A furrow hovering between his eyes. That easy peace from earlier this morning all but faded. It’s...worrying, in a way Andrea can’t put a finger on. Especially as Cloud’s attention drifts.</p>
<p>“Cloud?”</p>
<p>Odd. It’s the third time Andrea’s caught Cloud starring off across the plains this morning. An odd frown on his face. Something focused, yet hazy in his eyes. Whatever it is vanishes as Cloud blinks, glancing up towards him with a quiet grunt. But Andrea’s not sure what to say. How to ask what’s wrong. Because <em>something</em> is. He can feel it dancing like a spider across the back of his neck.</p>
<p>He doesn’t really get the chance to either. Despite the shitty weather, life on the Ranch is rarely still. Work to be done to take care of the flock, the garden, the house. They all end up dragged in about a hundred different directions as the morning hours pass. Thankfully the fog continues to lift. Easing out and out until Andrea can see the vague shadows of the mountains to the south east. It’s still not a nice day by any means, but the oppressive gloom abates enough that he feels like he can breathe by the time they call a halt for lunch.</p>
<p>Now that visibility's returned, at least well enough, Andrea’s fairly certain nothing could keep Cloud from patching the barn room. Ignoring the plaintive calls of his friends and family to wait till later as he gathered up the supplies. Cloud heads up the ladder on the towering silo easily. Perching atop it for a moment before clearing the gap between it and the barn roof in one easy leap. Wedge helps haul the supplies up to him using the pull system that hands off the side.</p>
<p>It doesn’t take long for Cloud to patch the hole in the roof. They’re not so much as half-way through the meal before the pulley’s hitting the ground again with a thud and a rattle as Cloud lowers it. But Cloud doesn’t follow it immediately. Lurking high above them and Andrea can tell his attentions out on the plains. <em>Again</em>. What was going on—</p>
<p>There’s a sound. Distant and muffled through the hazy air. Impossible to place, but Andrea knows he heard something. He drops his attention from Cloud above him to look out across the field himself.</p>
<p>“Did you hear that?” He asks, voice just loud enough to cut through the easy chatter going on around him. The others turn to him, curious looks on their faces.</p>
<p>“Hear what?”</p>
<p>“I’m not sure. I thought—”</p>
<p>It sounds again, closer this time. Louder. <em>Familiar—</em></p>
<p>“What is that?” Wedge asks, voice nervous as he sets down the sandwich he’d been picking his way through. Tifa’s easing up to her feet, eyes narrowed as she listens. All eyes and ears turned out. Trying to catch the next—</p>
<p>“<em>HELP!</em>”</p>
<p>A desperate, <em>human</em> scream tears through the tension in the air. Sends it both spiking and shattering as all eyes turn. From the remnants of mist a few miles out lurches a figure. Long strands of red hair streaming out behind them as they run. Barely moments before four shaming <em>somethings</em> follows close behind.</p>
<p>The monsters are unlike anything Andrea’s ever seen. Strange, twistedly humanoid specters. Their bodies oddly malformed. Protrusions jutting out from their heads, shoulders and legs. Writhing and wriggling like a squid’s legs. Pulsing with every twitchy jerk of their hunched frames. Marked here and there by glowing ‘cracks’ in their blue-grey skin. Colors that shift from that eerie mako green sheen, to electric blue and burning orange-red.</p>
<p>They’re <em>fast</em> too. Much faster than Andrea’d expected, given their odd, bouncing gait. Baring down towards the fleeing red-head with terrifying speed.</p>
<p>“Somebody <em>please—</em>!”</p>
<p>There’s a whistle. Loud and sharp over the foggy air. From the depths of the barn comes an answering cry. Cloud lands on the ground beside him and Andrea about jumps out of his skin. Eyes snapping wide towards Cloud’s face. Blinks at the snarl etched across Cloud’s expression. Something tense and focused in his eyes. Moments later Munin practically flies out of the barn doors. Racing towards Cloud with that incredible speed of hers. Barely slows as Cloud hauls himself onto her back mid-stride.</p>
<p>The red-haired girl stumbles, nearly hitting the ground. One of the nearest monsters lunges, jagged jaw snapping viciously—</p>
<p>Only to be cut off when Cloud slices the thing near in half. Leaping from Munin’s back to land as a wall between the rest and their quarry. Cloud doesn’t so much as slow as he twists back around. Hauls the person to their feet and pushes them between himself and Munin. Parrying a wild swing from another of the monsters and flinging it back into the others as they jump for them. A few quick flashes of silver in the wane sunshine and the others fall as easily as the first.</p>
<p>The threat dispatched Cloud turns back. Reaching out to steady the obviously terrified figure with his free hand. They grasp at him. Gesturing out towards the distance. Barely a minute passes before Cloud’s pushing them in the direction of the ranch. Swings back up on Munin as the other starts to hurry towards them. But Cloud doesn’t follow.</p>
<p>Instead he turns Munin and dives deeper into the mist.</p>
<p>“Cloud!” Tifa shouts after him, but both he and Munin are already on the move. Andrea feels his own heart lodge in his throat a moment before he shoves it back. Panic’s not going to do anyone any good right now. Cloud’ll be fine, if there’s more danger out there. Andrea’s seen him in action enough to know that.</p>
<p><em>He’ll be fine</em>.</p>
<p>Andrea tells himself stubbornly. Hovers back as some of the group breaks off to meet the poor soul who Cloud’d rescued. Can’t really make out anything about them save that red hair. Familiar, somehow. Andrea slowly edges along the corral. Catching wisps of conversation as he nears the others. Doesn’t make it all the way because Pops arches his neck over the fence. Butting up against Andrea and the dancer can’t just walk away from the poor fellow. So obviously nervous. Andrea strokes his head and neck, talking to him quietly.</p>
<p>“-there’s more. My uncle he- we got separated by those. Those <em>things—</em>”</p>
<p>“Easy lass. Yer safe now. And Cloud’ll do what he can to find your family.” Bill says, voice low, if a bit stern. “Chloe. Why don’t ye take her inside? Get her warmed up.”</p>
<p>“Okay gramps.” The girl hurries forward, taking the newcomers arm and tugging them towards the house. Though clearly still worried, the traveler lets themselves get towed away and vanishes inside the warmth of the ranch house alongside Chole.</p>
<p>“You going after him?” Biggs asks, standing beside Barret, arms folded over his chest as he eyes the taller man. Barret nods with a grunt. Biggs doesn’t seem surprised by that at all. “You need us?”</p>
<p>“Nah. You help Bill hold down the fort here. Won’t take long.” Barret says, clapping a hand on Biggs’ shoulder. Touch gentler than he usually is. Evidently mindful of that old injury that was bugging Biggs earlier.</p>
<p>“Daddy…” Marlene say’s beside Barret. Voice small and a touch hesitant. Barret turns to his daughter immediately, crouching down. Cupping her cheek tenderly in his big hand.</p>
<p>“It’s gonna be okay, angel. We’re gonna go take care of this mess. You stay here and help Billy with the birds. Can you do that for me?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>Barret’s dark, serious gaze turn to Andrea. Fixing on him intently as he squeezes his daughter against his side. “You keep an eye on her?”</p>
<p>“Of course.”</p>
<p>Barret eyes him a moment then nods. Shoving to his feet and turning to Tifa who’s crouched by Denzel. Lays a hand on her arm and jerks his head.</p>
<p>“Let’s go. Spike ain’t dealin’ with all that on his own.”</p>
<p>Tifa’s tentative, worried smile flickers. Falls into a fierce, determined stare as she nods. Giving Denzel one more squeeze before she follows Barret. The two of them rush to gear up Misty and Piper. Within minutes the two of them head for the field at a fast lope.</p>
<p>Something collides with Andrea’s leg and he starts. Glancing down to find Marlene there. A serious little frown on her face as she looks out to where her father’s gone off to fight. Andrea reaches down. Carefully smoothing a hand against the top of Marlene’s head. Pulling on a careful smile.</p>
<p>“It’s okay, honey. They’ll be back soon.” He soothes, squeezing her shoulder gently. Marlene’s grip on his pant leg just tightens. Dark eyes turning up to his, huge and worried, but trying not to be.</p>
<p>“Mm.”</p>
<p>“Hey, Den! Marlene?” Billy calls from his place inside the pen. Surrounded by the nervous chocobos. “Can you give me a hand?”</p>
<p>Denzel hesitates a moment longer before jogging off to join his friend. Marlene looks at Andrea again and he gives her a gentle nudge. “I’m sure Pops would be happy if you went and saw him. If you’d like.”</p>
<p>“’Kay.” Andrea obediently tags along at her gentle, insistent pull at his hand. Lurking outside the corral keeping half an eye on the kids as they try to calm the flock.</p>
<p>The fog’s starting to encroach again. Thick and heavy as it was first thing this morning. That uneasy, claustrophobic feeling crawls up Andrea’s spine again. Something...<em>wrong</em> hovering in the air. Even more so than the strange creature’s Cloud’d cut down. More strange sounds floating in on the wind that’s started to pick up.</p>
<p>Bill's parked himself on a crate nearby. Rifle laying across his lap. Keen, dark eyes fixed out on the distance as they wait. Wait for something. Anything. Any sign or sound or—</p>
<p>Munin streaks out of the fog, but Cloud’s not riding her. Instead there’s another traveler slung unstably over her back. Jostling and nearly falling between every rapid footfall. Bill shoves to his feet, whistles loud and sharp and Munin turns towards the sound instinctively. Closing the distance quickly.</p>
<p>The ranch owner rests his gun against the fence and hurries forward to catch Munin as she stampedes into the ranch. Unafraid as he plants himself in her frantic path.</p>
<p>“Whoa, whoa! Easy, Mun. Easy girl.” He reaches up to catch her head, pulling her gently but firmly down to his level. Biggs and Wedge have hurried over to help her rider slip unsteady from her back and away from the prancing, terrified creature. Wedge bundling the person off towards the ranch house once they’ve got them on their feet.</p>
<p>“Where’re the others?” Biggs asks, Voice low and tense as he scans the vague horizon of encroaching fog. Andrea can only shake his head, that uneasy feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. Biggs frown only deepens. A moment where his eyes dart, hand clenching at his side before he shakes his head. “I’m gonna go check on our guests.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t get more than five steps away before there’s a rumble. A low, groaning noise. Another of those terrifying, static-y warbling wails. Almost screams, but not quite. Made all the more unnerving for that fact.</p>
<p>There’s a shout and Barret tumbles out of the fog a moment later. Landing heavily, but rolling back to his feet. The big man jerking back around, gun-arm already blazing with life as he fires a stream of bullets into the haze wall directly behind him. There’s a screech and another one of the monsters hits the ground just at the edge of visibility.</p>
<p>“Tifa! Cloud!” He shouts, an edge of something to his voice that makes Andrea’s insides twist. His eyes frantically darting. Searching for any sign of the others. Sees odd jittering silhouettes lurching just out of sight. More of those <em>things</em> if their odd motions are any indication.</p>
<p>There’s a sound that Andrea couldn’t describe. Some sort of giant, vacuous inhale. A cry that hitches like a scratched music disc. The scent of <em>smoke</em> suddenly rises into the air a moment later there’s an <em>explosion</em> of sound and color. Red-orange flames erupting into a pillar of light that cuts through the fog like a blade.</p>
<p>Something small leaps out. Back away from the flames and for a moment Andrea thinks it’s another of those creatures. Realizes a heartbeat later as it— <em>they—</em>land. Cloud releasing his hold on Tifa’s waist and spinning to shield her against him as strange, greenish flames belch out of the fog mere <em>feet</em> from where they’re standing.</p>
<p>Another handful of the creatures skitter out after them, some of them caught in the blaze, burning as they scamper away with their horrible noises. Barret mows them all down in short order. His voice rising, just barely audible over the growing sounds.</p>
<p>“Where the hell is it!?”</p>
<p><em>It</em> turns out to be another monster- if Andrea can even call it that. The source of everything. The flames, the noises, even some of the unnatural fog, given the vapors leaking from it like steam.</p>
<p>This one’s taller than the other’s. At least three times their size. Even more warped and deformed. The tendrils about it’s head writhing with a will of their own. Its legs replaced by an odd, heavy looking serpentine tail. Lashing across the earth as it drags it’s malformed torso along. An eyeless face, grafted over by that same strange grey ‘plating’ that’d marked the others. Jagged, vicious fangs protruding from it’s maw, dripping with some kind of viscous dark liquid.</p>
<p>“What in the <em>hell</em> is that?” Bill snaps from where he’s ushering a calmer Munin into the corral. Billy jogs over to his grandfather. Face pale, eyes wide. Clambers out of the corral even as he speaks.</p>
<p>“Want me to move ‘em?” He asks as he hits the ground, but Bill just shakes his head. A scowl on his face.</p>
<p>“No. Easier to let ‘em loose out here if we have to. You get in the barn. You hear me whistle, you get ‘em out.</p>
<p>“Okay.” Billy replies, hands twisting into fists at his sides. Eyes darting one more time towards the fight on their doorstep before he heads for the barn. Andrea’s gut twists. He knows the resignation on both their faces almost too well. These birds are their lives and livelihoods both. Losing that-<em> leaving</em> that willingly is never easy.</p>
<p>Marlene and Denzel climb out too. Both of them with different levels of worry on their faces. Biggs grabs hold of both of them as they come closer.</p>
<p>“Kids, inside. Now.”</p>
<p>“But—” Denzel protests immediately, eyes darting between Biggs face and where his guardians are working to circle and distract the monsters.</p>
<p>“Wasn’t a suggestion. They’re fighting to keep you safe. Don’t distract them by putting yourselves at risk.” Biggs replies, voice firm. Doesn’t wait for either of their answers before turning and pushing them both ahead of him towards the house. Denzel seems to realize arguing with the man’s pointless and hurries ahead.</p>
<p>Once they're both safe inside the house, Andrea feels a weight he hadn’t realized was there lift from him shoulders. Enough that he can turn his focus back to where Cloud and the others are holding their ground.</p>
<p>The creature’s already wounded, Andrea realizes as it writhes in a wide circle. Trying to shake Cloud off from where he’s attacking it, a blade glinting in each hand. Two great bloody holes torn deep into its side. Alongside a myriad of other, smaller injuries- likely from the trio.</p>
<p>The mutant grabs one of it’s smaller companions in it’s tendrils. The creature shrieking and hissing, but the larger one is uncaring. Whirls it around it’s head and hurtling it through the air.</p>
<p>“Barret!”</p>
<p>Tifa shouts as the monster collides with him. Sending them both crashing to the ground with a yell. Her apparent worry proves unfounded as Barret smashes the things head in with a roar and a mighty bow from the heavy barrel of his gun. Scrambling back to his feet so that he and Tifa can cut down the dozen or so other smaller beasts. Cloud’s holding the largest one’s attention with a series of wickedly fast, brutal strikes, so it doesn’t have <em>time</em> to focus on anything or anyone else.</p>
<p>They're holding their own, but they're close enough now that Andrea can see the fighters are battered. Streaked with mud and blood. A nasty looking cut on one of Tifa’s cheeks. Barret’s once white vest muddied and torn in places. Cloud’s darting too quick for Andrea to get a proper bead on him, but certainly seems to be in a similar state to his companions.</p>
<p>There’s a quiet, creeping horror in the back of Andrea’s mind. Twining around and through the unease of the monster’s appearance. Mind reeling that the peace has been so horribly shattered. That this time yesterday they’d been rolling in, all smiles and excitement.</p>
<p>Foolish, really, he supposes. He knows their world is dangerous. Has been told it, seen it- to a degree. Peace breeding complacency. He <em>knows</em> that.</p>
<p>It does very little to stop the dark swell of something like anger simmering in his chest. Bubbling higher if he dwells on it. That this sanctuary has been so...<em>invaded</em>.</p>
<p>“Tifa!”</p>
<p>Cloud’s voice breaks over the sounds of battle. The horrible noises of the monster. Andrea sees Cloud toss something towards. A glint of red in the greyscale air as Cloud leaps out of the way of another deadly snap of the monster’s jaws.</p>
<p>“We got you covered, girl!” Barret shouts as Tifa catches it. The young woman nods, darting back a few steps as Barret rushes forward to help Cloud.</p>
<p>The air around them grows cold. Colder even than the oppressive damp from this morning. Andrea breathes and starts when he can see his breath pool before him. Light starts to shimmer all around Tifa’s body. Head still bowed in concentration. The red materia gleams in her hands with a pale, icy-blue shimmer. It arches up into the air above Tifa’s head. The air itself churning and swirling as some sort of bright <em>void</em> appears above her. The chill grows, something pale and white starting to make the emerald blades of grass around Tifa’s feet.</p>
<p>“Watch it!”</p>
<p>The tendrils writhing around the beasts head lash out. Extending as they shoot towards Tifa. Andrea hears her shout, stumble. Arms jerking up to shielding herself. Whatever magic was weaving itself over her head sputters out as her concentration shatters.</p>
<p>“Tifa—!”</p>
<p>The attack doesn’t reach her. Striking Cloud’s sword instead as he plants himself in front of her. Andrea has no idea where the hell he’d come from—</p>
<p>The tendrils writhe, spilling over the glinting metal. Catching around Cloud’s arm and yanking the blond off his feet. Too fast for anyone to react as it jerks him through the air. A flash of silver. Another horrifying, reverberating shriek as Cloud’s hurtled back towards the ground. Crashing down with such force he skids and tumbles along the ground for several feet. Coming painfully to a stop and struggling to get his feet back under him.</p>
<p>“<em>Cloud</em>!”</p>
<p>The name rings out, torn from Andrea and the others as the monster surges towards him. Focused solely on the prone, struggling figure. Andrea lurches. Heart in his throat. Mind screaming for Cloud to <em>move</em>—</p>
<p>A snarling roar echoes through the air and out of the dregs of the fog some manner of new beast launches towards the monster. A compact, red furred body latching onto its throat, whipcord tail lashing as the thing screams.</p>
<p>The red-furred beast lands upon the ground in front of Cloud. The glowing end of it’s tail lashing furiously through the air. Mouth bared in a row of sharp teeth, stained by the things dark blood. The monster lets out another ear splitting wail, gargled as it claws at itself and the open air. Torn between continuing the fight and trying to stem the tide of blood leaking from the gash in its neck. Twitching and writing as the glowing sections of its body flare and stutter.</p>
<p>It’s not left to wallow in its misery for long.</p>
<p>Cloud’s levered himself off the ground, blade of his sword jammed into the ground. Using it as a brace to haul himself back to his feet. Even from here, Andrea can see the vibrant eerie glow of Cloud’s eyes. Brighter than he’s ever seen it. Face twisted into a snarl of anger and pain.</p>
<p>Soon as he’s on his feet again, the red beast launches itself further. A veil of green energy sparking like a shield that it slams the monster off balance with. Barret fires off a massive orb of glowing red lightning crashing into the monster. Tifa swoops in as the creature lurks with a shriek, body still smoking from the blast. Leaping into the air with a series of fierce spinning kicks. Landing with a powerful blow from both her glowing fists.</p>
<p>Light flares and Andrea’s attention jerks back to the hunched Ex-SOLIDER. The energy pulsing around Cloud is so fierce, Andrea feels it like a force of gravity. Like the Planet itself is being pulled in towards him. Golden orange light ignites along the length of his blade as he crouches and angles it low along his body.</p>
<p>Andrea can’t even <em>see</em> Cloud as he launches towards the monster. Shifting through a series of blows, jumps and slashes so fast that it’s only once he launches into the air itself that Andrea even registers where he is. The monster- or the decimated corpse that was once such a threat is already being dragged away in long, wisp-like streams of light.</p>
<p>Cloud staggers as he hits the ground again, but keeps his feet. Barely. Blade tumbling from his hand he reaches for the arm the monster’d grabbed. Tifa and Barret are at his side in moments and he’s lost from sight behind the wall of their bodies.</p>
<p>Andrea takes an aborted step forward, finally registering the racing of his heart in his chest. The pound of it in his ears. Not sure if it’s fear or relief surging through him. Just knows it’s making his chest feel tight. Burning at the back of his throat. Itching like a scream waiting to burst forth.</p>
<p>Can’t bring himself to move and further, though a part of him wants nothing more than to rush to Cloud’s side. But the urge and his breath leave him in a rush as a firm hand lands on his arm. Dragging his attention over to Biggs’ face. The man’s got that worried twist to his expression Andrea’s seen quite often during their time here.</p>
<p>“Give ‘em a minute. They’d be making a lot more noise if they needed help.”</p>
<p>Andrea sighs, but doesn’t doubt it. Tucks his hands into his jacket pockets. “How’re the kids?”</p>
<p>“Bit worried, but fine.” Biggs replies, nodding his head towards the house. Andrea glances over and can see Denzel and Marlene peaking out. Offers them a small wave. Chuckling despite himself when Denzel freezes sheepishly and Marlene returns the wave. “Guests are patched up now too, nothing serious thanks to Cloud and them.”</p>
<p>“That’s a relief.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Biggs says with a nod. Raising a hand to shield his eyes from the growing afternoon sun. Much of the fog’s gone now. Only a distant scattering of it way out towards the mountains. “Ah. Here they come.”</p>
<p>Andrea’s attention jerks back to see Cloud and the other’s making their way back towards the ranch. Another sigh. This one heavy with relief.</p>
<p>“Gettin’ <em>real</em> tired of cleaning up Shinra’s shit.” Barret grumbles as they pass the parked vehicles. Andrea glances towards Cloud. Sees the exhausted agreement hovering briefly in the shadows of his face. Can only imagine him agreeing whole heartedly. Especially after the past few months. Of course he doesn’t say anything about it. Stubbornly holding his silence.</p>
<p>“But you’re working with one of their pets?”</p>
<p>A new voice enters the conversation and Andrea feels his whole body tense. Because he remembers that vile tone all to well. Forces himself to breath as he turns around to face the ranch house and the man standing just outside the door.</p>
<p>It’s <em>Gavin</em>.</p>
<p>Andrea’s not even sure <em>what</em> he feels faced with this piece of refuse again. It’s anger certainly. But also surprise. Wariness. A mix of others too. Pleasure to see that his nose hadn’t healed quite right. Andrea’s eyes dart towards Cloud, but it’s impossible to get a read on him. Wonders if Cloud even remembers the man. And that’s an awful thought all it’s own. That Cloud deals with such...misplaced anger so often, the faces apparently stop mattering.</p>
<p>“The hell’d you say?”</p>
<p>Barret’s voice is a dangerous thing. Paired with a nasty scowl. Andrea takes maybe too much delight to see Gavin falter, even a little, as the sunshine gleams off Barret’s gun when the big man turns to face him</p>
<p>“Just thinkin’ it’s weird. If you hate Shinra so much, why you got one of their little bitches hanging around?” Gavin says, a dismissive jerk of his head vaguely in Cloud’s direction. “Don’t you know what those things are—“</p>
<p>“Shut up!”</p>
<p>Gavin rocks forward as something- <em>someone</em>- collides with him. Sends him stumbling down the short flight of steps. The man whirls, that dangerous kind of anger on his face as he lurches, reaching for Denzel as the boy glares at him.</p>
<p>“You little shit—!”</p>
<p>“Hey—!”</p>
<p>But before any of them can intervene Gavin’s being hauled back with a shout. Thrown back against the nearby wall so hard something inside crashes to the floor. Gavin chokes as he’s lifted, nearly off his feet. Clawing at the gloved hand fisted tight in the front of his clothes.</p>
<p>“Get the fuck off me <em>freak</em>—!”</p>
<p>Cloud doesn’t so much as blink, let alone loosen his grip. His face a steely, fierce mask of furry. More so than he’d even directed at the creature they’d fought. It isn’t fear that rushes cold down Andrea’s spine. Not quite, but something not that far off it either. He’s never seen that sort of frigid anger on Cloud’s face before. Combined with the mako burning in his eyes…</p>
<p>Andrea thinks he finally understands, on some level, what’d spawned all those horrific rumors about SOLDIER's back in Midgar.</p>
<p>“The fuck’s wrong with you, son of a bitch!” Barret bellows, expression a far more <em>open</em> kind of anger to Cloud’s. Looks moments away from throwing a fist across Gavin’s furious, ruddy face. Tifa darts past. Grabbing hold of Denzel and pulling him to her side and away from the house. Marlene following close behind. Gripping Denzel’s hand tight.</p>
<p>“Cloud.” She says. Voice quiet. A note of caution to it. But Andrea sees a similar spark of fury in her eyes. Probably why she isn’t actually trying to stop him. Why no one makes any noise about it when Gavin flails in Cloud’s grip. The blond catching the wild swing and crushing his hand back. Andrea <em>swears</em> he hears the creak of bone as Cloud <em>squeezes—</em></p>
<p>“He ain’t worth it, son.” Bill says, stepping forward and resting a hand on Cloud’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“<em>He’s</em> not.” Cloud agrees, voice like fire wreathed in ice. Not taking his eyes off Gavin. Andrea knows they all hear what Cloud doesn’t say aloud. Knows that all of them in this room agree, wholeheartedly. Cloud’s eyes narrow. A fierce, predatory assessment before he shifts. In one motion dragging Gavin away from the house and tossing him away. Pivoting in that same motion so he’s standing tucked partway in front of Denzel. Gavin stumbles as he’s released. Nearly falling as he scrambles on his clearly bruising wrist.</p>
<p>Andrea can <em>see</em> the poison bubbling behind Gavin’s lips. Threatening to burst forth. If it does he doesn’t think <em>he</em>’s going to be able to keep his composure. But before the idiotic bastard can so much as open his mouth Bill’s pointing to the field beyond.</p>
<p>“Get out, you piece of shit..”</p>
<p>“You can’t be serious!” Gavin’s eyes snap to Bill. Wide with a hint of fear that could sustain Andrea for the rest of his lift. “What if there’s more of those things—”</p>
<p>“Don’t care.” Bill cuts him off sharply. “Get two of my birds killed, insult the man who saved your life and threaten one of my grankids? I best not see see you ‘round here again. <em>Out</em>.”</p>
<p>“Fucking disgusting. All of you. Siding with <em>monsters—” </em>Gavin spits on the ground at Andrea’s feet and marches off. Andrea watches him go with an absent eye. Childish, truly. As though Andrea hasn’t had worse thrown in his face. “Laurem! We’re leaving.”</p>
<p>“I-I’m coming uncle!”</p>
<p>Surprise jolts through Andrea at the name and the voice. Eyes going wide as he glances back towards the house again. Oh god. That’s why that red hair had looked so damn familiar.</p>
<p>“Laurem!?”</p>
<p>“Andi?” The girl gapes at him. “W-what are you doing out here?”</p>
<p>“I could ask you the same.” Andrea replies.</p>
<p>“I—”</p>
<p>“Laur! Get away from them and move your ass!”</p>
<p>Despite the clear anger in Gavin’s voice, Laurem seems hesitant to follow. Still looks worn down and wrung through after her ordeal. Gaze darting nervously between her uncle and them as he calls her again.</p>
<p>“<em>Laur</em>!”</p>
<p>The girl flinches, but sets her shoulders. A determined, if nervous clench to her jaw. Hand flexing nervously by her sides. She clasps them in front of her, fingers twining tightly together.</p>
<p>And steps towards Cloud.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Mr. Strife. You saved our lives. I know he’s—” Laruem bites at her lower lip. Eyes darting towards her uncle’s still furious form at the edge of the property. Steels herself once more and meet’s Cloud’s eyes seriously. “But he’s wrong. So thank you.”</p>
<p>Cloud’s expression flickers. Doesn’t quite soften, but pitches into something on the edge of confused. He nods. Slow. Almost careful.</p>
<p>“Ye don’t have to go with ‘im lass.” Bill says, tone far, far gentler than it’d been a moment a go. “We’d keep ye safe here till these folks headed back.”</p>
<p>“Thanks. But…” Laruem shrugs her thin shoulders, the motion a little helpless. Tinged with something wry and a bit painful. “He’s family.”</p>
<p>“Hmph. Proof we sure as shit don’t get to pick all of ‘em.” Barret grumbles, still glaring absolute daggers at Gavin even as scoops Marlene onto his shoulder. Laruem’s smile twitches. An anxious spasm as she nods as her eyes dart towards Bill</p>
<p>“Y-your chocobos might not be…” Her shoulders hunch, but she shakes her head and continues. “We weren’t riding when those things found us. The bird’s got spooked and bolted. I don’t know what happened after. They might’ve gotten away.”</p>
<p>Bill’s expression softens even further.</p>
<p>“Thank ye missy. You’re a good egg.” Bill unslings the rifle from over his shoulder. Presses it firm to Laruem’s chest until the girl grabs hold of it. “Be safe out there, alright?”</p>
<p>A nervous, but genuine smile flickers briefly to life on her face. Carefully shifting the gun to her own shoulder. Andrea steps up, setting a hand against her upper arm as she goes to turn.</p>
<p>“Laurem—”</p>
<p>“Bye Andi. I...I’ll see you in class.”</p>
<p>Shit. Andrea can see in her eyes he’s not going to be able to change her mind. It’s made up, and under all that shyness is a stubborn soul. He knows it well, sees that same fire in her when she performs. So he chokes back his worries, his anger and drags on a proper smile.</p>
<p>“Of course. Bright and early, little flower.”</p>
<p>He squeezes Larurem’s arm one more time and lets her go. Watches, heart sinking as she rushes off towards Gavin. The group slowly disperses around him. Tifa, Denzel Barret and Marlene ducking inside. A delicious scent wafting out the open door briefly. The red furred beast turns to it. Sharp eyes finally leaving the retreating forms of Gavin and Laurem.</p>
<p>“Well that was a fine mess.”</p>
<p>Andrea feels his brain momentarily short circuit. A disconnect between hearing and comprehension. Because he just saw—<em>heard—</em> the red, cat-like creature speak. And not in the stereotypical half thoughts and fragmented understanding so common in those silly, self-indulgent novels of his. But <em>eloquent</em> even.</p>
<p>He’s beginning to realize, more and more, that Cloud’s simple description of the world being ‘big’ is perhaps more apt than even he’d given the other credit for. How else would one describe such wonders?</p>
<p>“And you are?”</p>
<p>Andrea nearly jumps when those eyes turn to him.</p>
<p>“Andrea…” He offers after a moment, proud of himself for only stumbling over his name a moment. “I’m a friend.”</p>
<p>Those vibrant yellow eyes scan over Andrea. The flaming end of the long, whipcord tail lashing absent against the ground. Studying and curious. They flit to Cloud, then back to Andrea before something realizing settles within them. Dips their head half an inch.</p>
<p>“A pleasure to meet you.”</p>
<p>Andrea blinks and dips his head. An uncertain smile flickering on his face. “Likewise, ah, Red was it?”</p>
<p>“You may call me that, should you wish.” Red hedges, pushing to his feet. “Please excuse me. It’s been a long journey.”</p>
<p>“Thanks Red.” Cloud says as the beast heads towards the house with the others. The tail flickers again and Red shakes his head.</p>
<p>“Already told you. Don’t thank me.”</p>
<p>“Right…” Cloud says, and there’s an edge of weary humor to the sigh of his voice. Andrea feels that awful, niggling worry spike in his chest again, even as Bill walks past. Claps a hand on Cloud’s right shoulder carefully.</p>
<p>“Got some extra shirts in the spare room if ye like.”</p>
<p>“Thanks.” Cloud replies, ducking his head and disappearing further into the house. As he goes, Andrea sees him pulling something—his phone?— from his pocket. Marlene pipes up from her place still on her father.</p>
<p>“Where’re Misty and Pip? Are they okay?”</p>
<p>“They’re fine I’m sure. Had to let ‘em loose too once we got fighting those things. They’ll find their way back.” Barret assures her with a gentle smile.</p>
<p>“We should see if we can find the others too.” Billy says, arms folded over his chest, tapping a finger against his arm. “Anybody up for a search party?”</p>
<p>A quiet kind of chaos fills the room as the others start discussing what needs to happen now. Andrea uses the distraction to head after Cloud. Admits he’s worried. More worried, perhaps, than he wants to admit. But he keeps seeing Cloud hitting the ground. Seeing him staggering and <em>hurt—</em></p>
<p>Cloud’s a fast healer, sure. But still...</p>
<p>“—missed the fucking things right on your door—”</p>
<p>There’s a cold, quiet fury to Cloud’s voice. Just barely audible in the relative quiet in the hallway. Andrea inches towards it till he’s standing outside the room Cloud’s in. The door not quite shut. Peeks in to find Cloud still dressed, speaking into his phone as Andrea’d thought.</p>
<p>“Then <em>get</em> it figured out.” Cloud says, pulling the phone from his ear and dropping it to the top of the dresser with a thud. Andrea carefully eases the door open, stepping inside.</p>
<p>Obviously this was where the kids had crashed over night. That lived in chaos scattered about the room. Discarded pajamas and a few handknit, plush toys. Rumpled bedding. Cozy, like so much else is out here.</p>
<p>Cloud turns towards him with a small jerk as the door clicks shut behind Andrea. The dancer offers him a small smile. The tension falls from Cloud’s shoulders.</p>
<p>“Mind some company?” Andrea asks, hand still on the doorknob in case Cloud asks for privacy. Can’t deny the quiet relief that settles inside him as Cloud shakes his head.</p>
<p>“It’s fine.” He says, going to shed his torn and dirtied shirt. Letting it drop and turning to dig through the dresser. As he does Andrea notices the swelling and deep bruises around his shoulder. The attack must’ve dislocated his arm. And yet he’d still fought. Still <em>beaten</em> the damn thing, despite the injury. But that’s not what’s caught Andrea’s attention so sharply.</p>
<p>It’s the odd, painful looking dark veins arching beneath his skin. Andrea takes a jerking step towards, him reaching out.</p>
<p>“Cloud, your arm—”</p>
<p>The way Cloud looks so disinterested eyeing the wound makes Andrea’s skin crawl. The casual shrug of his shoulders even more so.</p>
<p>“Venom. Probably got spliced with a Zolom or something.” Andrea almost wants to laugh. Naturally Cloud’d be so blasé about this, the way he was about the size of the damn things. Cloud’s expression flickers, softens as he looks back at Andrea. “Already took an antidote. Just takes time for some symptoms to clear up.”</p>
<p>Andrea sighs and nods. Perches on the edge of the bed as he watches Cloud rifling through the line of shirts in the drawer. The silence hangs between them, not uncomfortable by any stretch, but it does give Andrea’s mind too much time to loop back to the unease that’s been bubbling inside him.</p>
<p>“Cloud?”</p>
<p>“Yeah?”</p>
<p>“What were those things?”</p>
<p>Cloud pauses, fingers twitching against the front of the shirt where he’s gone to do up the first button. His gaze grows even more distant. A thunderous shadow haunting the depths of his eyes. Quiet for a moment. Then two. Lets out a breath too even to be anything but careful.</p>
<p>“...Test subjects.” There’s too much certainty in Cloud’s tired, angry voice. Too much for Andrea to even pretend Cloud doesn’t mean exactly what he says. “Crawled outta one of Hojo’s labs. One the Turks missed.”</p>
<p>The way Cloud says it—<em>what</em> he says in particular— burrows itself into Andrea’s mind. Sticks there like a painful, irritating burr. Test subjects. Not monsters. Not experiments. A <em>test subject</em> means<em>—</em></p>
<p>“I. Are you…” The words stop up in his throat. A knot that makes him dizzy. “Are you saying those were <em>people—</em>?”</p>
<p>“Maybe they were once.” Cloud replies, voice quiet. But there’s that seething, quiet anger brewing dark just beneath it. A flicker of something jagged beneath his eyes. “But not after he got his hands on them.”</p>
<p>Oh god…</p>
<p>“Hey.”</p>
<p>Cloud cuts into Andrea’ whirl thoughts before he can even begin to make sense. Head and heart too full of too much. Leaves him feeling disorientated and unsteady. Helps a lot when one of Cloud’s hands settles on his shoulder. Touch firm and grounding. But there’s understanding under his words too. Too much so, perhaps. Because Cloud’s faced all this before. And likely worse besides. <em>God—</em></p>
<p>“...Try not to dwell on it. ‘s over now.”</p>
<p>A lie, surely without Cloud meaning it to be, but still. Andrea knows that those sorts of things won’t ever be over. No so long as Shinra’s poison’s leaking from beneath their feet. Hidden in the shadows. Not until Cloud’s finished with the work he’s doing for the remnants of the once mighty corporation.</p>
<p><em>You’re going in circles, Andi.</em> <em>Enough</em>.</p>
<p>Easier said than done, perhaps. But Andrea knows Cloud has a point. So he pushes the whirling thoughts away again until he can find his tongue.</p>
<p>“Is your arm alright?</p>
<p>“I’m fine.” Cloud rolls his pretty eyes and Andrea chuckles. Can tell the other wants to be annoyed with him, but there’s too much of his tender heart in the action. In the gentle brush of his thumb against his neck. That lingering concern in hovering just beneath his voice. “...That girl was one of your students?”</p>
<p>“Mm. One of my little flowers. Laurem.” The thought of his dear student is a mix of sensation. Worry about her well being and quiet horror that such a sweet soul is at all connected to someone like Gavin. “I hadn’t the first clue that bastard was at all affiliated with her.”</p>
<p>Cloud just shrugs. Glancing towards the window. “Hope she’s okay then.”</p>
<p>Andrea hopes so too, given the piece of shit she calls family. But even so, he’d seen how Gavin’d acted around her. The genuine worry about her well being. And while Andrea knows there’s nothing on the Planet that’d ever make him forgive the man for the <em>poison </em>he constantly throws at Cloud, he’s glad at least to know he isn’t so vile to everyone.</p>
<p>God he needs to get out of his head. Focus on something else. The nightmare’s over and behind them now, as Cloud had said. For now at least. Better to put his head in the here and now. So gently Andrea traces his hands down Cloud’s arm. Fussing and fixing the thin, but soft plaid shirt he’d raided from the ranch’s supplies.</p>
<p>It’s suits him somehow.</p>
<p>“You look good in this.”</p>
<p>Cloud huffs, rolling his eyes. He looks so tired. Like all the vitality he’d gained during their time here has been utterly sapped from him. Leaving him in perhaps a worse state than he’d been in when he’d barged into Andrea’s apartment the night of the bar fire.</p>
<p>Andrea’s teasing melts down quickly in a wash of worry. Smoothing his hands down Cloud’s shirt again and catching his hand. Tugging it gently.</p>
<p>“Come here sweetheart.”</p>
<p>“Mm?”</p>
<p>Despite his confusion, Cloud follows as Andrea tugs him along gently. Fights it a little when he realizes Andrea’s scooting up the bed. Tugging at blankets and nudging pillows as he goes. He pulls a moment at Andrea’s grip on him. Looking over his shoulder towards the door, tired worry on his face.</p>
<p>“Should be out there—”</p>
<p>“They’ve enough hands on deck for now, Cloud. You need a break.” Cloud’s frown deepens, twists with something too close to guilt. Andrea tugs at him again to get his eyes back on the dancer. “Just an hour, hmm? I’ll wake you up.”</p>
<p>“...fine. One.”</p>
<p>Hell, he must be even more wrung through than Andrea’d thought. Folding so easily. Kicks off his boots and climbs up next to Andrea. Reflexively, Andrea tucks him closer even as he settles. Curls around Cloud. Hands clutching at him a little tighter. Leaning to press his nose to the top of Cloud’s head. Frowns at the odd, feverish warmth he finds there. Reminds himself what Cloud said about symptoms.</p>
<p>Rest can only help.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They don’t get an hour. In fact Andrea’d be surprised if it was even half that time. Too much noise outside too soon. But it sounds better than the tense worry that’d been there during the fight. Happier voices. Thinks he hears a distant call of “<em>Found ‘em!</em>”</p>
<p>Cloud jerks from his sleep and Andrea catches the low edge of something like panic to the sound of his breath. Slides a hand up to comb gently through Cloud’s hair.</p>
<p>“Sounds like they found the birds.” He murmurs in explanation, nosing at Cloud’s locks and not caring that the poor boy desperately needs a shower. He needs the <em>rest</em> far more, but Cloud’s already moving. Prying himself carefully out of Andrea’s grip and getting to his feet. Andrea’s no choice but to follow.</p>
<p>The two of them head outside to see that the little search party had indeed found success in capturing their wayward chocobo’s. They all seem well too, if rattled. The next hour or so passes in a blur. Getting the bird taken care of. Checking on Dawn and the chicks- and god it feels like a <em>lifetime</em> ago that Andrea’d been in the barn with Denzel and Cloud. Late enough in the afternoon that Tifa and the others are getting antsy to get on the road to avoid driving in the dark.</p>
<p>But Cloud’s not coming with them.</p>
<p>Andrea’s not surprised by that of course, but it still hurts. Both on it’s own and how crushed both the kids look.</p>
<p>“But—” Denzel says, near as soon as Cloud’s finished talking. “Why can’t someone else take care of it?”</p>
<p>“Denzel…” Cloud starts and stops. A painful series of conflicting emotions twisting through his expression. Finally he sighs and crouches down. Settling on a knee before the boy as he so often does. When he’s listening or needs to be listened too. Trying to soften the blow, Andrea's sure. “Other people could deal with it probably. You’re right. But odds are those things weren’t the only ones. If I ignore it and leave it for ‘someone else’? Other people might get hurt.”</p>
<p>“So <em>you’re</em> supposed to?” Denzel says, a level of quiet outrage to his voice that Andrea can more than sympathize with.</p>
<p>“Hopefully not.” Cloud replies evenly, watching the boy’s face. Something too tired to be humor curling in one corner of his lips. “But I can take more than most people.”</p>
<p>Andrea’s insides turn to ice, threatening to shatter beneath the sudden aching pound of his heart. He feels sick. Almost <em>angry</em>. Not at Cloud, specifically. But at whatever circumstances have led to him to clearly believing that. To accepting it. To not seeing anything <em>wrong</em> with it—</p>
<p>“Trust me, I—” Cloud’s words trail. Something flickering behind his bright, tired eyes that Andrea can’t name. Something jagged. Painful. Fragile, even. Vanishes between one breath and the next. That spark of quiet, burning determination pushing out everything else. Looks to Denzel again with a calm kind of acceptance. “Wish things weren’t this way. But they are. So, we deal with it.”</p>
<p>“You mean <em>you</em> deal with it.” Denzel grumbles. His expression flickering. Caught between frustration and worry.</p>
<p>“Sometimes. Yeah.” Cloud reaches out. A moment of hesitation before he rests a hand on Denzel’s shoulder. Squeezing. “Think you can keep an eye out for Tifa on the way home?”</p>
<p>Denzel bites the edge of his lips. A dozen things flickering behind his dark eyes. Lets a lot of it out in a sigh that sounds horribly resigned.</p>
<p>“...Okay, Cloud.”</p>
<p>“Thanks buddy.”</p>
<p>Cloud reaches up, almost looks like he’s going to ruffle Denzel’s hair but stops himself. Getting back to his feet as he adjusts the sword sitting along his back.</p>
<p>“The hell you planing?” Barret asks, voice gruff as he eyes Cloud.</p>
<p>“I’m gonna go look into it.”</p>
<p>“What? By yourself? Don’t be an idiot. As if we’re gonna let you—”</p>
<p>“Biggs, said they came from the swamp?” Cloud asks, turning to face the weapon’s expert. Like he hadn’t caught a word Barret’d just said. The big man sputters and glowers.</p>
<p>“Well yeah, but—” Biggs replies, instinctive. Expression caving between frustration and concern. “Cloud. C’mon you really shouldn’t be doing this alone.”</p>
<p>“Just gonna check things out. It’s not a big deal—”</p>
<p>“Then you won’t have any objections should I accompany you.”</p>
<p>Red’s calm, low voice slips easily into the conversation. The beast pacing glancing up at Cloud with a look that borders on a challenge. Cloud frowns at him, a scowl that makes him look both older and younger than his years in turn.</p>
<p>“...Fine.” Cloud says, waving a hand and shaking his head. Splitting off from them and heading towards the barn. “I’ll get your stuff, Andrea.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Andrea calls after him, gaze lingering on Cloud’s retreating form until he disappears from view. Barret sighs beside him, scratching the back of his neck. Gaze dropping down to Red.</p>
<p>“Keep his dumb ass outta anything stupid.”</p>
<p>“I will endeavor to do so. Try not to die on the way home.” Red replies.</p>
<p>“Ha-fuckin’-ha Red.” Barret grunts, but there’s a camaraderie to the words. A familiar lilt and understanding. Supplemented by the brief flicker of amusement on both their faces. Tifa’s finished loading their things into the truck bed. Wanders towards them with a smile on her face. Andrea wonders how much she’s putting it on to hide her obvious worries.</p>
<p>“Next time you’re by Edge come see us.”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Red replies with a serene nod. Accepting another hug from both the kids as they pass by. Barret follows his daughter and gets her loaded up into his truck alongside Wedge. Biggs clambering into the passenger seat.</p>
<p>Cloud’s just coming out of the barn again as Barret eases into the truck himself. The blond hands Andrea his pack, all neatly packed and tidied. Splitting the two bed rolls between Tifa’s truck and his bike again. He settles on Fenrir, Red following. Shifting to settle comfortably atop the back end easily. Tifa pauses beside the bike. Her easy smile flickering a touch as she speaks.</p>
<p>“Don’t take too long.” She says, but it sounds almost like a question and a plea rolled into one. Cloud looks to her. That softness in his gaze he always gets when he knows she’s worried.</p>
<p>“It shouldn’t. Drive safe.”</p>
<p>“You too.” Tifa replies and steps back as the bike roars to life. Cloud spinning it neatly in place and taking off across the plains. Takes no time at all it seems, for he and Red to be little more than vague shapes in the distance. “Thanks for having us Bill.”</p>
<p>“Come out again soon, yeah? Y’know how fast chicks grow up.” Bill says, squeezing his grandkids on either side of him.</p>
<p>“We’ll do our best.” Tifa says, climbing into the drivers seat as Andrea hurries to the other side.</p>
<p>“Thanks for the help! Be safe okay!”</p>
<p>The drive to Edge is blessedly uneventful. Andrea thinks he’s had enough excitement to last him damn near the rest of his life it feels like. Denzel and Tifa are both pretty quiet too, a hovering sort of tension to the air. Worry and watchfulness Andrea’s sure. Though as they get closer to home, Tifa manages to coax the boy into talking a little. About silly little nothings like Tetsuya or things from school. Not quite two months left from the sounds of it. Denzel sounds surprised to learn Andrea never attended. Learned from ‘home’ and life itself. Apparently so did Tifa- and by extrapolation Cloud.</p>
<p>They pull up to his apartment as the first stars are starting to twinkle overhead. Andrea bids them all a good night and thanks them again for the trip. Heads inside and despite the exhaustion nipping at the corners of his mind, can’t bring himself to settle just yet. Makes himself dinner and checks his messages. A few from his Bee’s, but also a couple of missed calls and frustrated messages from Leslie. Nothing unexpected though he wishes Leslie’d take him at his word. He’s working on it. Much as he can.</p>
<p>It’s well past midnight when Andrea finally gives himself permission to turn in.</p>
<p>There’s nothing but silence from Cloud.</p>
<p>And the dream returns with a bloody <em>vengeance</em>. Jolting Andrea from sleep hours before his alarm’s set to go. That awful whisper scream ringing through his hollow chest. Senseless colors flickering before his minds eye. Decides against trying for sleep again and retreats to the kitchen for a rare cup of coffee. Has a feeling he’s going to need it to get through today.</p>
<p>The pure, simple <em>relief</em> that sweeps through him when he walks into to class to find Laurem already doing her stretches nearly knocks the wind from him. She turns to him with a timid smile. He joins her in warming up as she explains her uncle’d contacted some co-workers who’d come to pick them up. No trouble on the way back either, and for that Andrea’s relieved.</p>
<p>There’s plenty to keep his mind occupied too, though today he’s only got two classes of his own until noon. He sets up meetings with Maise to talk over plans for her class. Spends time with Claude, who’s already begun piecing together bits of costumes and plans for makeup and hair.</p>
<p>It’s a busy day, enough to keep the quiet, lingering worries away until Andrea walks back into his apartment. Until he gives himself permission to look at his phone.</p>
<p>Nothing.</p>
<p>Crawls into bed late again, after an evening of quiet and worry that he tries to bury between the pages of a favorite book and then the covers of his bed.</p>
<p>Doesn’t stop the dream from crawling its way back into his head. Quieter this time, perhaps, but not by much.</p>
<p>Tuesday follows much the same way. More work to keep himself occupied. Classes until after three. Running a few of their ideas to Narisa when they can spare a moment of time between, hurried bites of food and etching out the changes Maise wanted to make to the choreography for her senior class.</p>
<p>Claude drags him off as the janitorial staff start making the rounds. The two of them tracking off to one of the nearby little dive bars. Both careful not to indulge <em>too</em> much, while Andrea shares the photo’s he nabbed during the ranch trip. He almost doesn’t get his phone back when he shows Claude the picture of Barret he’d taken.</p>
<p>Hugs Claude to him tightly as they part for the night because <em>god</em> he’d needed the laugh. The break. Adores his Bee’s so, so much and---</p>
<p>Fuck, maybe he hadn’t gone as easy on the alcohol as he’d thought.</p>
<p>At least the vague haze in his head helps dampen the sharp edges of the dream. Determined to break over his sleeping hours like a <em>horrific </em>storm.</p>
<p>Claude frets at him as he gets to work. Poking at the dark circles Andrea’d done a half-assed job at hiding. His friend dragging him off to fix it. Asking under his breath in the corner of the staff room if Cloud was okay.</p>
<p>Andrea about bursts into tears at the simple question because he doesn’t <em>know—</em></p>
<p>Buries himself up to his eyeballs in his work, in his dances, in his meeting with Harrlow. Forced down food that doesn’t take like much and tries to ignore the echoes of Tifa and Cloud’s voices in his head.</p>
<p>“<em>Shouldn’t take long</em>.”</p>
<p>Thursday.</p>
<p>Wake exhausted and worried.</p>
<p>Eat <em>something</em> that tastes like nothing to him. Glancing at his phone on the table top. Never getting a single word from the one person he wants to.</p>
<p>Work through the worry. Trying to bury it all in the music and planning. The <em>fun</em> parts of this all that Andrea adores and has always adored.</p>
<p>Head for home.</p>
<p>
  <em>Nothing—</em>
</p>
<p>Andrea doesn’t understand it. Not Cloud’s silence. That’s something he’s had an unfortunate amount of time to get used to. What he doesn’t understand is why his stomach and heart are so damned determined to work themselves into knots this time. It’s no different to every other time Cloud’s been away. Nothing’s changed—</p>
<p>...Except that now Andrea’s had the tiniest glance at the hell Cloud’s been throwing himself into. The...’monsters’ he’s facing down.</p>
<p>People.</p>
<p>They’d been <em>people</em>. Mutated and twisted beyond near all recognition perhaps. But even so.</p>
<p>Cloud’s words—warning—echos in Andrea’s ears. Over and over.</p>
<p><em>Don’t dwell on it</em>.</p>
<p>It’d damn hard not to. But Andrea’s trying. Trying his hardest because he knows Cloud was right. Dwelling on what he can’t change is poisonous. But the longer Cloud’s gone—the longer the <em>silence</em> holds—the harder it is to push it out of the forefront of his mind.</p>
<p>The incident’s put a sharp edge to Andrea’s understanding of what Cloud’s been doing the past few months. Now he’s <em>seen</em> at least a small part of what Cloud’s been fighting. Been keeping all of them <em>safe</em> from. Because it’s become horrifically easy to picture what may have occurred. Too easy to picture some of those...those <em>things</em> shambling out of Midgar’s ruins to fall upon Edge. If Cloud hadn’t taken the apparent initiative, hadn’t been doing what he’s been doing…</p>
<p>But it isn’t right. It isn’t <em>fair</em>. Cloud shouldn’t have to to be fighting against any of this at all. Certainly not on his own as he’s so clearly determined to do. Andrea’d seen him shoot down the offers of help from his companions without a thought for himself. All in an effort to keep them out of the mess.</p>
<p>Because Cloud’s out there. Somewhere. Somewhere Andrea can’t even begin to imagine. Fighting more of those...those <em>things</em>. Or worse.</p>
<p>What if he gets hurt again? What if he’s alone? What if—</p>
<p>Andrea draws up short as he finally drags his attention back to present. To the now. To the realization that there’s a shadow sitting on his doorstep. Tucked into the shadows of the apartment. Harder to see with the obscuring cloud cover above. Makes the shadows sit darker, heavier. Impossible to make out who (or what) exactly is waiting for him. Andrea tenses. Careful. Reactionary to a lifetime of deadly shadows.</p>
<p>He takes a cautious step closer. Tired eyes narrowing as though peering harder at the formless shadow will make it make sense.</p>
<p>“Hello…?”</p>
<p>The rare clouds overhead break. Moonlight streaking down to paint the ground. Glinting off metal and turning spiky locks of gold to a matching silver hue. Makes the dark shadows beneath and within those faintly glowing eyes all the worse.</p>
<p>“You’re home…”</p>
<p>A crushing wash of emotion swells through Andrea’s whole being. Feels like a fist seizing in a vice around Andrea’s lungs. Around his heart even as it blossoms with sheer, pure, absolute <em>relief—</em></p>
<p>
  <em>You’re in too deep Andi. You’re in too deep—</em>
</p>
<p>“Cloud.” There’s a thump to his left. His knees ache and suddenly he’s looking right into Cloud’s beautiful face. When had he moved—?</p>
<p>Doesn’t matter. Doesn’t matter because Cloud’s here. He’s home. He’s whole. Andrea can touch him. Hold him. Feel the warmth of him beneath his hands. Too cold. Worrying. But it’s alright. It’s alright he’s home. Andrea can fix that. Clutch him close until that chill goes away.</p>
<p>“Oh my darling…” Andrea catches that precious, precious face between his hands and leans in. Pressing their foreheads almost too tight together. “You’re home. You’re safe.”</p>
<p>Cloud shifts and Andrea finally finds it in him to take a real breath again as lean, strong hands curl against his wrists. There’s a tremble to them. Something deeper than exhaustion, Andrea can tell at a glance. Cloud’s not okay—</p>
<p>But it’s fine. It <em>will</em> be. Because Cloud’s come home again. Where it’s safe and they can all look after him. Give him shelter from the absolute <em>bullshit</em> he’s been fighting to keep them safe from. God Cloud’s incredible. So incredibly, impossibly brave, and stubborn and—</p>
<p>“’m sorry…”</p>
<p>“Cloud—”</p>
<p>“Didn’t wanna go home yet—” Cloud’s voice cracks off into a whisper. Breaking on something tense and strange hovering just beneath it. Andrea's heart threatens to shatter right along with it. Catches himself by the skin of his teeth and the simple joy of having Cloud with him again. Enough to drag a painful, but tender smile onto his face.</p>
<p>“That’s alright. You can <em>always</em> come here, sweetheart. Whenever you need.” Andrea says, easing back just enough that he can get a proper look at Cloud again. As much of one as the night will allow.</p>
<p>As he’d thought, there’s that awful haze in Cloud’s eyes. His focus and awareness drifting out and away from where they are. Frightening in more than one way. But it’s also twisted up in that lingering relief. Because Cloud’d still made it here. Come to him despite all that. Just adds fuels to the growing fire of Andrea’s own steely determination. Because Cloud’d come to him. And Andrea's going to do whatever he can to help him.</p>
<p>First step is getting them both out the chilly night air. Cloud’s clammy enough as is. Andrea brushes at Cloud’s hair gently. Slipping his wrists free of Cloud’s grip, only to shift so he can hold Cloud’s hands in his gently. Tugging the other gently as Andrea starts to ease back to his feet.</p>
<p>“Come in. Come inside with me.”</p>
<p>Cloud blinks up at him. Fingers twitching against Andrea’s.</p>
<p>“...’kay.”</p>
<p>Andrea shuffles them inside. Barely remembering to pick his bag up from the ground. Dumps it uncaring onto the ground once they’re through the door. Won’t need it again until Monday anyway. The only thing he takes a moment to do is fish out his phone. Fires a message to Tifa, just in case. With Cloud in such a state, it’s unlikely he’d contacted her. And Andrea knows from the brief messages they’d shared that she’s been worried too.</p>
<p>
  <em>Cloud’s with me.</em>
</p>
<p>Cloud’s shaky and distant. Worrying on so many levels. But he’s home again. He’s safe. So right now Andrea has more important things to worry about. So he gets the blond settled comfortably on the couch. Smiles at him gently, pressing a kiss to Cloud’s temple before Andrea flits around. Turns on one the lamps to chase away the night gloom and some low, quiet music.</p>
<p>But when he goes to head for the kitchen. To scrounge up food and warm drinks for the both of them he’s stopped almost immediately. A tug to the hem of his shirt. Turns back to meet a look of quiet <em>something</em> with a smile.</p>
<p>“Promise I won’t smoke us out of here.” He says, mustering a quiet lilting tease to his voice. Cloud won’t meet his eyes, but it’s fine. Andrea feels his fingers twist a little tighter into his shirt. His voice so quiet as he nods.</p>
<p>“I know.”</p>
<p>“Want to supervise anyway?”</p>
<p>It takes some coaxing, but Andrea gets Cloud to perch atop the island. Andrea doesn’t need much space for what he’s planning after all. Little more than some rice and chicken sauce. Greens on the side. Things that don’t take much or focus so he can talk with Cloud. Or rather <em>at</em> Cloud. Filling him in on the trip home. The goings on at work. Steers <em>well</em> clear of any mention of the dreams. Not something either of them need to be dealing with right now.</p>
<p>Picks out a tea that tastes just as good cold as it does hot. Knows that both of them are likely to forget it tonight. Still sweet to watch Cloud roll the warm mug in his hands as Andrea loads them both up a plateful. It’s a little unnerving, to poke and prod at Cloud gently every once in a while when his mind walks away with him between bites. Something a little...<em>mechanical</em> to the motions when he does. Gazing off into that distant horizon Andrea has no name for. No reason for. Just knows that it exists.</p>
<p>At least the food, drink and warmth put a touch of color and life back into Cloud’s pale features. Andrea ditches their dishes in the sink. Tomorrow’s another day, he can deal with the little mess then. He was going to suggest they take a bath or shower, but one look tells him Cloud probably doesn’t have the energy for it.</p>
<p>“Come. Let’s get to bed. You look exhausted.”</p>
<p>He digs out the pair of pajamas he’s silently dubbed ‘Cloud’s’ in the back of his mind. Hopes the familiarity will help even a little. The two of them snuggling deep beneath the covers. Andrea pulling Cloud right up against him. Cherishing the too long absent, comfortable weight against him. Buries his nose in Cloud’s hair and breathes him in. Takes the scent of open air, motor oil and mako deep into his lungs and closes his eyes.</p>
<p>Isn’t quite so afraid to sink down into the darkness of sleep. To the shadows of the dream that greet him. No lesser than they have been the past few nights. Wakes once more too early and not enough sleep between.</p>
<p>Better this time because the weight pushing down on him is <em>real</em>.</p>
<p>Worse, because it takes his groggy mind a moment to catch the whimpers.</p>
<p>“Cloud…”</p>
<p>It’s early enough to be too damn dark to see anything properly. But he can feel Cloud shifting against. Those heartbreaking little sounds breaking from him at odd intervals. Carefully, Andrea curls a firm arm around Cloud’s shoulders. Shuffles along the bed until his blindly reaching hand nearly knocks over the lamp. Fusses with a moment before managing to flick it on.</p>
<p>Greeted by the awful sight of those slipstream silvery tears running down Cloud’s cheeks, though the other’s still asleep.</p>
<p>Nightmare— or something worse. And Andrea’s seen enough poor souls who suffer them to know waking Cloud’s probably a horrible idea. So he shifts them again. Easing himself up into a more seated position. Tucking Cloud between the cradle of his legs and the blond’s head under his chin. Runs a hand through that wild hair gently.</p>
<p>“Shh...easy. You’re alright Cloud. You’re h—” Andrea<em> barely</em> chokes the word back. Blinks even as he trades it for another. “You’re here, with me. You’re safe.”</p>
<p>He repeats the quiet mantra and more besides in a quiet stream of reassurances. Brushing the tears from Cloud’s face and making sure he’s tucked warm beneath the blankets. Run’s a hand along Cloud’s trembling spine. Hushing him gently when he starts to breathe too quick, or feels that too tender heart race.</p>
<p>It doesn’t last long, whatever it is. Still feels like a distant lifetime, though Andrea blames his own restless sleep for that one. But eventually Cloud calms again. Slips into an easier, more relaxed sleep.</p>
<p>Once he’s been settled for a while, Andrea tucks them both back down properly again. Doubts sleep will find him again anytime soon, but no harm in trying. He’s going to need some manner of wit about him to deal with what’s likely going to be a rough morning.</p>
<p>When the sun crests the horizon, Andrea very carefully and quietly slips from bed. Sneaks out of the bedroom to use the facilities and tidy himself up after the restless night. Ducks into the kitchen to start the water boiling and check his phone. Finds it nearly dead with a few messages from Tifa. All just quiet check-in’s on them both. He answers truthfully. Rough night, Cloud not doing all that well, but not as bad as the night he’d collapsed. Not by half.</p>
<p>As the kettle yelps from its place on the stove, Andrea hears the floor creak and looks up.</p>
<p>”Cloud?”</p>
<p>He’s not drifting. Andrea can see the light in his eyes. A focus. But he looks. Off put, somehow. His brow furrows and he shifts, eyes darting briefly to Andrea’s then away.</p>
<p>“...What...” Cloud’s voice is oddly rough. “What...happened?”</p>
<p>“What do you mean, darling?” Andrea asks, carefully setting down the two mugs he’d just plucked from the cupboard.</p>
<p>“I...” Cloud wets his lips. Brow furrowing. Something shadowy passing behind his eyes as they flicker back to Andrea. “How’d I-. Get here?”</p>
<p>Andrea feels cold. A sudden, slipstream rush of ice down his spine. “You— you don’t remember...?”</p>
<p>It’s a <em>stupid </em>question<em>. </em>Cloud’s jaw tightens, stress lines picking themselves out over his pallid complexion.</p>
<p>He shakes his head. Slowly.</p>
<p><em>Oh. Oh god</em>.</p>
<p>“Andrea...?”</p>
<p>
  <em>Shit. Shit, calm down, Andi.</em>
</p>
<p>Him panicking here is going to do the opposite of help. Can already see the rising, distant fear in Cloud’s gaze the longer the silence holds. Sees the way Cloud’s hand’s tighten against the door frame.</p>
<p>“W-what...” Cloud’s expression shivers. Cracks. Andrea<em> sees</em> him catch himself mentally. Can tell he’s<em> tearing</em> the words out of his throat, they sound so jagged. Like pieces of shattered glass. “What’d I forget?”</p>
<p>The quiet, trembling horror in Cloud’s voice is enough to break Andrea’s heart. Shatter it near to dust. Andrea folds his arms over his chest, gripping at his arms in an effort to ground himself.</p>
<p>Fuck. Oh fuck, what does he do—</p>
<p>“Cloud I… I’m not sure. What do you remember?”</p>
<p>It’s <em>immediately</em> evident that was the wrong thing to say. The wrong question to ask. Wants to take it back even as the last syllable leaves his lips.</p>
<p>Cloud blanks on him. Eyes too wide and darting over the empty air. Andrea can see the swell of horror building up behind them. Pressure building and building, making Cloud tremble where he stands. Hands curling too tight at his sides. Knuckles white.</p>
<p>“Sweetheart.” Andrea heads towards hovering carefully about an arms length away. Remembers Cloud’s last bad morning. Ripping away from any physical touch. “Cloud. Look at me—”</p>
<p>“What happened...” Cloud shudders. Eyes darting and the haze in them is getting worse and worse. Mako bright and writhing in that frightening candle flicker. A wet sheen to them</p>
<p>“Cloud—”</p>
<p>“Why’re you dodging the question?” Cloud snaps, voice harsh and sharp as the too rapid breaths rattling past his lips.</p>
<p>“I’m not.” Andrea says, keeping his voice as even as he can. “Cloud, I promise I’ll tell you everything I can. But you’re having a panic attack. So lets focus on your breathing first. Okay?”</p>
<p>Carefully Andrea eases down. Settling cross legged on the cold floor. Relieved when Cloud follows a few heartbeats behind. Ankles crossing as Cloud folds his arms around them. Curled in on himself. Knees to his chest. Like he wants nothing more than to just...disappear.</p>
<p>“Eyes on me, Cloud. Can you try?” Another few moments. Too harsh breaths. Finally a flicker of that vibrant, too bright color. Andrea takes his own slow breath. “There you are. It’s alright. Just like we always do, hmm?”</p>
<p>Cloud tries. God, does he try and Andrea <em>sees</em> it. But every attempt- every failure just spirals him further. Makes each attempt harder and harder. Like Cloud’s being buried in a quicksand of anxiety and fear.</p>
<p>“I-I can’t—”</p>
<p>“You can.” Andrea cuts in gently. Fighting every instinct in himself to just haul Cloud into his arms. Like he could shield him from whatever it is that’s hurting him in his own head. “I know it’s hard right now. But you can do it.”</p>
<p>The uncertain, terrified look in Cloud’s eyes threatens to rip Andrea’s heart straight out of his chest. Forcing himself to take a breath, Andrea holds out a hand in offering. A smile dragging tender at his face.</p>
<p>“You’ve done it for me so many times beautiful. It’s going to be okay.” Andrea clenches his teeth. Biting back of a rush of tears that sting his eyes as Cloud jerks a hand up. Catching Andrea’s too tight in his. Andrea grips him back just as hard. Trying to steady the trembles shaking them both. “Just try, Cloud. That’s all you need to do.”</p>
<p>“T...” Cloud’s voice hitches on another gasping rasp. Staring at Andrea like he’s a riddle and answer all at once. The desperate clutch of his hand easing. Leaves Andrea’s fingers tingling. Pulsing in time to his heart. “T-try...?”</p>
<p>“With me, okay? In...”</p>
<p>As he says it and takes his own Andrea gentle squeeze Cloud’s hand. Increasing the pressure incrementally with each beat. Smiles when he feels Cloud echoing the action. Probably on reflex. Shaky focus fixed to their hands.</p>
<p>“Hold...”</p>
<p>Andrea keeps his grip steady. Firm.</p>
<p>“Out...”</p>
<p>And releases it just as slow. Cloud copies, but the air in his lungs hitches after a moment. Staggering and too sharp. An awful twist of guilt and frustration marring his face. Andrea hushes him again gently.</p>
<p>“It’s okay. You’re doing just fine. Again.”</p>
<p>It takes a while. A few false starts and stops. Frustration and wetly shimmering eyes. Dozens of tiny, meaningful encouragements.</p>
<p>But Cloud gets there. Eventually. And that’s enough.</p>
<p>“Good. Just like that.”</p>
<p>Andrea coaches him through it all for a few minutes. Until the worst of Cloud’s shakiness is back under control. Until Cloud doesn’t look like he's miles- hell <em>years- </em>away from the here and now. When he’s quiet for too long, Andrea prods gently. Squeezing the hand in his still.</p>
<p>“Cloud...?”</p>
<p>“Tell me.” Cloud’s voice is a clipped, ragged thing. Painful to hear.</p>
<p>Andrea doesn’t want to. Not out of any sort of malicious intent. But because Cloud’s so obviously fragile still. But he’d promised. Knows how damn important those words are to Cloud.</p>
<p>“Do you remember coming here yesterday evening?”</p>
<p>“I—” Cloud grits his teeth. Something in his jaw jumping with the motion. Gaze wavering, as he drags in a trembling breath through his nose.</p>
<p>He shakes his head.</p>
<p>Oh fuck.</p>
<p>Why’d he never consider this possibility? Cloud’s <em>told</em> him of the holes in his memory. Andrea’s seen them and seen what they can do to the poor boy. So why on Gaia does it hurt so badly to realize that those voids could spread into the now?</p>
<p>Andrea’s very, very clearly not the only distressed by that revelation. If anything, Cloud looks like he’s about to crack into pieces. The sight’s enough to snap Andrea back to the present himself. No. He can’t go falling apart himself when Cloud’s clearly the one in need of help right now.</p>
<p>“Alright. Well, here’s what I know.” Andrea says, gently rubbing some manner of warmth back into Cloud’s hands. Watching his face closely. Speaking slow and careful “I came home last night around seven. You were waiting for me out on the step. Said you didn’t want to go home. You weren’t...well. You were drifting rather badly. So we came inside, got something to eat and turned in.”</p>
<p>Andrea has to bite his tongue to stop himself asking if Cloud remembers any of it. Can see from that vacant shiver in his eyes that he doesn’t. Andrea’s real concern doesn’t even lie in Cloud not remembering last night. But the wider, far more worrisome implications.</p>
<p>Cloud pulls away. Andrea feels immediately colder for it. Watches as the other folds in on himself. Face to his knees. Arms wrapped too tight around them. Fingers in his hair. An awful, awful echo of that morning Andrea’d found him in the living room.</p>
<p>He still doesn’t know what to do. What to say. So far out of his depth here, in this moment. All he can do is...</p>
<p>Be here.</p>
<p>And it’s not enough- how can it be? With the demon’s that live inside Cloud’s head. His heart. Pushing closer and closer to the surface every time he throws himself into hell.</p>
<p>“What’s happening to me...?” Cloud chokes out. After heartbeats and minutes and god knows how long of too tense silence. The fingers in his hair tightening and Andrea flinches. Because he has the worst feeling that he wasn’t supposed to hear those words.</p>
<p>“Cloud...”</p>
<p>The words strangle themselves on his tongue. In his throat. Dying cold deaths in the fringes of his thoughts.</p>
<p>He <em>wants</em> to reassure Cloud that things are alright. That <em>they’re</em> going to be okay. Them, what they have, this situation. Whatever it is that’s slipped through the cracks in Cloud’s mind. It isn’t his fault. None of it is. He’s been stressed beyond reason. Beyond sense. Fighting battle after battle, trying to save them all from the remnants of Shinra’s corruption.</p>
<p>None of it sounds right in Andrea’s head. None of it <em>feels</em> right in his heart. A hollow, wailing void in his chest that beats too fast still. Just sounds like a bunch of meaningless platitudes and Cloud deserves so much more than that.</p>
<p>He deserves the stars in the open night sky.</p>
<p>And Andrea would do <em>anything</em> to give that peace back to him.</p>
<p>But...</p>
<p>He can’t.</p>
<p>There’s...nothing he can do.</p>
<p>Andrea doesn’t know the shapes or name or numbers of Cloud’s inner demons. He doesn’t know what specifically— if anything— had triggered this awful reaction. But right now the why’s and how’s and what’s of this moment don’t mean a whole lot. Not in the face of Cloud cracking to pieces before him. That is what matters. Cloud is always, always what matters.</p>
<p>Andrea reaches out, hovering with his hand just above Cloud’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“Sweetheart?” Cloud shivers but the reaction’s enough for Andrea to know he hasn’t slipped back into the hazy corners of his mind. “Is it alright if I touch you? I...I don’t want you to feel alone. Not like this. You’re not.”</p>
<p>There’s a low pained sound. Muffled, like through gritted teeth.</p>
<p>But still, Cloud nods. A faint, barely there motion, but Andrea will take it. Gladly. He moves. Sliding along the floor, shifting Cloud with him as he settles with his back against the door frame. Tucks Cloud up tight against him and wraps him safe in his arms.</p>
<p>Clings back when Cloud wrenches a hand painfully free and reaches for him.</p>
<p>“I have you, my darling. I swear. We’re going to get through this. Together.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. The Strength of Us</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A-a-a-avasti is the best *to the tune of Benny and the Jets* Lol. Anyway! No panic attacks to worry about this time my lovely readers~ just a bit of hurt/comf, a minor injury and some smutty smut!!</p><p> </p><p>oh.</p><p>And maybe some feels- but y'all what else did you expect? It's me lol. Enjoy!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s the most shaken Andrea’s ever seen Cloud. In some ways worse even than the first time. The morning he’d found him. Clearly this whole ordeal with his memory has cracked though Cloud to his very core. It’s no wonder of course. Not after what little Cloud’s shared with him. Whole chunks of his life lost to the ether. No wonder he’s so terrified of losing more.</p><p>It scares Andrea too.</p><p>A visceral, biting worry. Nips at the fringes of his heart. A cold not dissimilar to the fog at the ranch the other day.</p><p>Cloud shifts against him again. More sense to the motion then there has been the last...while. Andrea’s not entirely sure how long they’ve been here now. Even less sure he wants to look at the clock to find out. The motion causes the ache in Andrea’s tailbone to spike sharply. A sharp sting that has him flinching.</p><p>Cloud notices. Which is at once relief and heartbreak. Relief he’s not too lost to the corner of his own head. Heartbreak at how <em>guilty </em>the other sounds as he pulls away.</p><p>“S-sorry.”</p><p>“I’m the one who picked the floor, my dear.” Andrea replies evenly. Hand resting firm against Cloud’s upper arm as he sits up. “Shall we move?”</p><p>Cloud nods, after a few moments of vague, empty eyes starting out into some far away place. The two of them easing to their feet, stumbling a little from the aches and pins and needles. From exhaustion. Ducking shakily into the living room. Settling together on the couch. Cloud tucks in on himself again, but lets Andrea keep hold of his hand. A quiet kind of horror in those hazy eyes as he gazes blankly out into the air. Andrea rubs at his chilled fingers, trepidation and sadness sitting heavy in his chest.</p><p>“Is there. <em>Anything</em> I can do to help…?” He asks after a few too long minutes of silence. Cloud flinches. Shakes his head.</p><p>“Done enough. I’m—” His rough, too quiet voice trembles slightly. Two-toned eyes squeezing shut. Hand jerking in Andrea’s grip, but not fully pulling away. “Shouldn’t be here. Shouldn’t put all this shit—”</p><p>“Cloud.” Andrea says firmly. Gently. Runs his other hand up Cloud’s arm to grip his shoulder. “I <em>want</em> to be here. Even if—”</p><p>The helpless void in Andrea gaps a moment. Has to breathe around the ache. Prays that Cloud can hear the absolute sincerity behind his words. “Even if I can’t help.”</p><p>“’s not fair to you.”</p><p>“It’s not about ‘fair’, Cloud.” God knows so little in life is. But that’s neither here nor there. “I don’t care—”</p><p>“<em>I</em> do.” It’s Cloud’s turn to cut him off. Voice sharp and jagged as broken glass. Tucking his knees closer to his chest. His eyes dart to Andrea and the pain in them is enough to feel like a dagger to his heart. Glossy and swimming with so much. “You’re. You always—”</p><p>Cloud’s expression fragments. Drops his forehead atop his knees. Andrea can see— <em>feel—</em>him shaking again. Andrea’s grip on him tightens again reflexively. Threads their fingers tightly. Hope and despair twining through them when Cloud’s grip tightens in turn.</p><p>“And I can’t even keep my fucking head on straight.”</p><p>“It’s not your fault.” Andrea says, sharper than he means, but he<em> hates</em> that tone of self loathing in Cloud’s voice. “<em>None</em> of this is your fault, Cloud.”</p><p>Andrea sighs quietly though his nose. Hovers a moment in indecision. Wets his lips and steels himself. A question that’s lingered in the back of his mind. Ever since Cloud first told him about the holes in his memory. Growing louder and sharper after Claude’d brought up the similarities between Cloud’s situation and his brother’s.</p><p>“It’s the mako, isn’t it? What caused those. ‘Gaps’ in the first place?”</p><p>Cloud goes rigid. Breath stuttering. Lets out a breath that tries to be careful, but rattles and shivers like Cloud’s freezing cold. Quiet and still for too long.</p><p>“Y-yeah.”</p><p>Oh. Something <em>more</em> then, it seems. Always something more…</p><p>This poor boy.</p><p>“If anything about this is ‘unfair’, it’s that you’re dealing with it at all, Cloud.”</p><p>Cloud makes a quiet noise. Could be a laugh, but without any of the humor. Just...pain. Andrea shifts closer. Running his hand up to rub at the tension in Cloud’s neck gently.</p><p>General questions just seemed to send Cloud spiraling. Like he can’t seem to grasp any specific <em>point</em> in his memory. And that just worsens his panic. So what if Andrea can find a specific point for him to latch onto? Give him a footing against the uncertain tide.</p><p>“Do you remember being at the ranch?” Andrea asks, carefully conversational. Cloud uncurls slightly from his defensive hunch. A bit of the tension easing out as he lifts his head. More focus in his eyes than before.</p><p>“…Yeah.”</p><p>A drop of warm relief settles against Andrea’s heart. Still worrying of course, that the new gap in Cloud’s memories is there at all. But now at least Andrea has a better idea of <em>what’s</em> missing at least. Andrea smiles a little, toying with the odd long strands against the back of Cloud’s neck.</p><p>“I enjoyed our time there immensely. I mean, besides the bit of mess on Sunday.”</p><p>“’s one way to put it.” Cloud’s expression flickers. Shifts. Softens as he turns his head to look at Andrea. “...Thanks.”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea blinks, tilts his head. Not sure what it is he’s being thanked for. Cloud’s eyes drop. A faint shake of his head as he rests it atop his knees again. Keeps his head turned towards Andrea.</p><p>Cloud’s expression flickers after a few moments. Drifts. That soul deep weariness crawling back into his eyes. Andrea glides his fingers around. Through Cloud’s hair then along his jaw gently. Stroking too pale skin and the darkness beneath his eye.</p><p>It makes him ache. Deep down in his bones. His chest.</p><p>“Come here.”</p><p>Andrea tugs at him gently. Gets him to uncurl a little. Eases him back, till Cloud’s head is resting on his lap. Tucks his legs up comfortably and combs his fingers through Cloud’s hair slowly. Cloud blinks up at him. Still distant and tired. Andrea can understand that. Feels exhaustion plucking at him too. The too early mornings and broken sleep catching up to him. The twist between Cloud’s eyes looks frustrated.</p><p>“It’s alright.” He soothes, thumb brushing Cloud’s cheek. “Get some more rest if you need to, Cloud.”</p><p>“But—”</p><p>“The day’s young yet.” Andrea replies, tapping a finger against Cloud’s lips gently. Smiles to himself when Cloud frowns up at him. “No harm in catching a few more winks.”</p><p>Cloud shifts. Turns to face him. Arms looping around Andrea’s waist as he ducks his face into the dancer’s stomach. Andrea hums. Brushing a long strand of golden hair from Cloud’s cheek gently. Cloud squeezes him a moment. Voice low and quietly muffled against Andrea’s shirt.</p><p>“You too. Up too early.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles and hums, nodding. He’s not opposed to the idea of catching up on at least a little more sleep. But he can wait a while. Wants to make sure Cloud’s resting, especially after his restless moment early this morning. The tears and the quiet distressed sounds.</p><p>Takes a while, for that quiet tension to slowly bleed out of Cloud’s shoulders. The stiff set to his spine and curl of his arms around Andrea’s waist. Breath evening out. Slowly. Andrea cradles his head on his fist. Watching Cloud slowly succumb to sleep once more. Combing his other through Cloud’s hair. Toying with the messy strands.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t quite reach sleep himself, despite the peace that settles over them. Falls into a sort of meditative state. That knot of anxiety that’s been lingering in his chest for damn near a week has eased enough to breathe around it. To relax. Soothed by Cloud against him. More present by far than he had been last night. Hell, even earlier this morning.</p><p>Still not <em>well</em>, of course. Andrea’d be a fool to think that. Not after the horror of Cloud’s understandable panic. Of realizing some piece of Cloud’s life has slipped away into the shadowy cracks in his memory.</p><p>The dancer sighs, shakes his head a little. Honestly, what’s the point in wallowing in it? There’s nothing to be done. A waste of time and energy he frankly doesn’t have.</p><p>The dreams have taken another strange turn. Still vague as anything with flickers and flashes of those distant colors. But last night he’d had the oddest feeling of being somewhere high up. With the wind rushing and tugging at him from all sides. The distant sound of rain. And still that voice. Something urgent underscoring the whisper screams. The feeling of shadows wrapping about his limbs like an unwanted caress.</p><p>Has to admit he’s rather giving up on making sense of it all. Not that there’s likely to be much sense to make from dreams in the first place.</p><p>Andrea blinks back to himself. Frustration curling his lips into a frown. Shakes his head and massages at the faint throb in his temple. Alright, Cloud had a point. He <em>is</em> running on too little sleep himself. And Cloud seems blessedly calm against him. Settles that persistent worry a touch further. Enough to coax him into relaxing himself. Leaning his head down on his arm against the back of the couch. It’s not the most comfortable position perhaps. But it’ll serve him well enough without disturbing Cloud.</p><p>Sinks into quiet darkness as his eyes slip shut. Hovers just on the edge of true sleep. Drags himself groggily out of it when Cloud stirs against him some time later. Peeks down and smiles at the pretty, sleepy blue-green eye peeking up at him.</p><p>“Hey there beautiful. How are you?”</p><p>“I…” Cloud’s gaze drops from his again. A faint nod of his head. “Better, I think. Still—. Hazy, I guess.”</p><p>Andrea hums. “Shall we go find food? I imagine it’d do us both good this morning.”</p><p>Cloud nods again, pushing himself up out of Andrea’s lap. Rubs at the bridge of his nose before twisting to glance back at the dancer.</p><p>“You sleep at all?”</p><p>“Some.” Andrea replies with a smile. Uncurling his legs with a long, languid stretch before climbing to his feet. Cloud follows his lead, ducking away into the kitchen a few steps ahead. Andrea hovers in the doorway a moment. Watching as Cloud pauses by the sink. Glances down to the dishes still stacked there. There’s a flicker of annoyance, but something more considering too.</p><p>But it falls into that painfully familiar frustration not long after before Cloud shakes his head. Pushes it away. So Andrea tucks back his worry too and gets started whipping up something for a rather late breakfast.</p><p>Cloud’s got a mug of slowly cooling tea in his hands. Leaning back in his chair. Something still quietly exhausted to the set of his shoulders. Another shadow lingering in his eyes. Andrea reaches out. Rests a hand against the back of one of Cloud’s. Smile twisting a little painfully when Cloud starts beneath this touch. Eyes flashing to his, blinking a few times.</p><p>“Sorry…”</p><p>Andrea hums and just shakes his head. “It’s just going to get cold. And this brew isn’t quite as good then.”</p><p>Cloud huffs. Not quite a laugh or a smile, but it’s something. Andrea returns it, squeezing Cloud’s hand in his gently before sitting back again. At least it seems to pull Cloud a little more out of his head. Calmer. And any improvement is good in his eyes.</p><p><em>He’ll get there.</em> Andrea thinks, taking a sip of his own cooling mug. <em>We’ll be okay</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Fuck.</p><p>Fuck, fuck, <em>fuck</em>. This is the absolute last thing he needed right now. Andrea grits his teeth. Shifting more of his weight into Claude as the two of them edge into blessedly empty the staff room. Andrea eases himself into the chair Claude pulls out by the table before hurrying off for the ice packs they keep stashed in the freezer. Gingerly Andrea works off his shoe. His ankle’s already started to swell heinously.</p><p>“Dammit.” He mutters, feeling along it. The injury tender enough to have him flinching at even the lightest prods.</p><p>“Is it broken?” Claude asks, handing him one of two towel wrapped ice packs. Andrea takes his with a sigh. Tucking it along one side as Claude kneels to press the other opposite it.</p><p>“Just a sprain.” Andrea says through a faint grit of teeth as the cold bites into him. Soothing some of the sharp ache. Claude hums, glancing up at him with worried brown eyes.</p><p>“Not like you, being careless. Things okay?”</p><p>Andrea huffs out a painful half laugh. The question stabbing at him even more than the pain in his ankle. At least that’s easing out under the chill of the ice. Has no idea how to answer his friend.</p><p>He thinks a part of him is still sitting in the kitchen. Cloud curled against him. Shaking and heartbreaking. No more tears, just the odd, unsteady breath trembling through the front of his shirt as Cloud burrows against him.</p><p>It’s been over a week ago now.</p><p>Nearly as long since he’s seen Cloud at all.</p><p>It’d almost been a fight when they parted. Cloud’s damn phone ringing all too soon after he’d finally calmed enough to claw his way back out of his head. Fucking <em>Shinra</em> ordering him back out to the battlefield the very next day.</p><p>Didn’t matter what Andrea said. How he asked—<em>begged</em>—Cloud to let it lie. To give himself time to recoup. Cloud just shook his head.</p><p>“<em>I can’t stop. Not here. Not now.”</em></p><p>Vanished the next day.</p><p>Feels like forever ago. Feels like yesterday. All sense of time and stability lost to waves of worry. Stress. Andrea knows he has to stop it. Knows he needs to get a hold of himself. To stop this...this ‘spiral’ he’s fallen into.</p><p>“Go home. I’ll talk to Narisa.”</p><p>“That isn’t necessary—”</p><p>“<em>Andi</em>.” Claude cuts him off. Surprisingly sharp for the normally sweet man. A severe frown hovering at the edge of his mouth “I’m serious. You’ve been pushing yourself too much lately. And I’ve bit my tongue on it long enough.”</p><p>Andrea blinks. Surprised and touched in equal measure. There’s a brief flash of annoyance too, if only because he knows how to look after himself. But he knows his friend’s only speaking from genuine concern.</p><p>“...Thank you.”</p><p>“Take care of yourself. Okay?”</p><p>“I’ll do my best.”</p><p>He makes it home just before the threatening storm breaks. Leaning back against his door as the sound of rain strikes the ground outside. His foot throbs even just from the short jaunt from the cab to his apartment.</p><p>“Dammit...” Andrea mutters with a weary fervour. Thunks his head against the solid wood behind him. Closes his eyes to breathe a moment. Habitually digs his phone out to check for messages. Cloud hasn’t been entirely absent this time. Sent the odd message now and then. Andrea knows he hasn’t been <em>gone</em> the whole time either. But when he was around Edge it was helping Tifa or the kids or running out on his usual deliveries. The fact he’s still <em>working</em> on top of the jobs he does for Shinra makes Andrea feel queasy.</p><p>Sighing at himself and situation both Andrea hobbles his way to the bathroom. Strips his pants carefully to eye the swollen joint. Not great, but not the worst he’s had either. Best to put it up and ice it again. Retreats to his room to do just that after grabbing a few provisions, ice packs, as well his notebooks for the recital. So he doesn’t feel like he’s <em>completely</em> useless all laid up at home when there’s so much to be doing.</p><p>With about three months before the recital proper, Andrea’s more than pleased with the progress they’ve made the past few weeks. Both Maise and Harrlow were a lot more receptive to his ideas and suggestions than he’d thought. Though he’d be careful building his proposals. Compiling a mental map of the strength of their classes and directions they could point the budding talents.</p><p>If there’s one thing to be grateful for with this stupid injury, it’d be that it’d happened after his darling Weed’s class. Still so new, they need the attention and focus. More so than even his Flowers.</p><p>Andrea just hopes that this setback doesn’t have Narisa plucking them out of his hand.</p><p>Come the morning, after another restless night, Andrea refuses to be pinned in bed another day. Meets Claude’s unimpressed glower with a smile and shrug as he ducks into the practise room. Finds a chair and stool waiting for him and chuckles at Claude’s muttered.</p><p>“Know you better than that honey.”</p><p>His students are sweet, worrying over him as they trickle into the room. Not that any of them are bad students of course, not at all. But some of the more ‘individual’ of the bunch seem a little more willing to listen to him today. As he talks them through the steps. Turns out to be another blessing in disguise he supposes. A chance to watch the Weeds observe themselves in his place.</p><p>Overall it’s a good day. Though Claude shadows him under Narisa’s orders. Still, it’s not the worst thing. Claude knows him and his methods well enough that he steps into the co-teacher position easily enough.</p><p>The day drags given Andrea’s relative inactivity outside words and notes and shuffling between rooms. He can put weight on the ankle, but Claude’s being vigilant with making sure he doesn’t over do it.</p><p>Unfortunately his plans for rest upon getting home get interrupted. Andrea’d just been getting himself out of his work attire. Scrubbing his face of the daily mire when there’s a knock at the room. Sharp and loud. Confused Andrea makes his way carefully to the front door. Opens it and wishes for that simple comforting back up.</p><p>Because Leslie’s waiting for him and looks quietly <em>livid</em>.</p><p>“We need to talk.”</p><p>“Oh do we?” Andrea sighs. Tired and in pain and <em>not</em> in any sort of mood to deal with what he knows is coming. Limps back into the living room as Leslie steps inside, closing the door behind him with a sharp crack.</p><p>“The hell’s going on Andrea?” Leslie snaps, the anger in his normally quiet, even tone rakes against Andrea’s nerves as he leans against the arm of the chair to take the weight off his foot. “You said <em>months</em> ago that we were on the right track.”</p><p>“And we are. I’ve told you—” Andrea’s not how how many more times, how many more ways he can tell Leslie to trust him. To just <em>wait</em>. Patience’s what’s going to let them lay a solid enough ground work to run on. Andrea’s under no illusions that the Don’s going to be an easy catch. Not after what he knows the man capable of.</p><p>“You <em>told</em> me you were figuring it out. That we’re close. So what, you lied?”</p><p>“No.” Andrea replies, eyes narrowing. “I’m sorry that crossing the entire Planet isn’t <em>easy</em> Leslie. If it were, do you really think this wouldn’t be over by now.”</p><p>Leslie scoffs arms crossing over his chest. “Yeah, well maybe it could be if you weren’t dragging your feet with Strife—”</p><p>“That’s not what’s happening.”</p><p>“Oh really? Because from where I’m standing, that’s <em>exactly</em> what’s giving you cold feet.”</p><p>Andrea hands curl into fists against the couch. A cool fury flickering through him. At the implication he’s not taking this seriously. That he doesn’t want this just as badly—hasn’t wanted it for <em>years</em> before Leslie ever entered the picture. Before anything. Above anything—</p><p>But even as he thinks it some of the anger dies down. Can’t lie to himself in this case. To say that his...<em>priorities</em> haven’t shifted to an extent. So maybe on that front Leslie’s got a point. His frustration and anger justified. But Andrea’s not just going to sit here and listen to such slander against his motives—</p><p>There’s a sound just outside the window. Cracked open to let in the sound of the rain still drizzling outside. The clean, cool air. But above that the sound of an engine. Familiar and Andrea’s heart leaps, eyes darting towards the fluttering curtains.</p><p>“Goddammit, <em>this</em> is exactly what I mean! You’re distracted. Instead of focusing on what you should be, you’re—” Leslie snaps and Andrea hears him crossing the floor. The dancer goes tense, reflexively, eyes darting back to Leslie’s angered face. “Andrea. Stop screwing around—!”</p><p>The door behind Leslie snaps open, loud against the wall even beneath heavy boot falls. The silverette jerks around and freezes. Hands raised in the air. Staring along the length of the silver blade. To Cloud standing at the other end. Expression serious and focused.</p><p>“Leslie?” In a blink a large part of the hostility melts out of Cloud’s expression. Leaving him wide eyed and confused for all of a moment before he frowns. “What’s going on?”</p><p>“You want to put the sword down first?” Leslie says, hands still raised, though there’s more annoyance in his face than fear now.</p><p>A spark of <em>something</em> flashes through Andrea’s gut when he catches Cloud’s eyes drift to his. As though he’s checking with <em>Andrea</em> if it’s alright. Whether he is or not, Andrea finds himself nodding. The <em>something</em> in Andrea sparks brighter. Sharper as Cloud lowers his blade.</p><p>Slowly.</p><p>“Well?”</p><p>“Nice to see you too, Strife.” The hostility in Leslie’s voice is banked. More that even smoulder Andrea’s gotten used to hearing. He finally drops his hands, glaring back at Andrea a moment before he sighs. “Forget it.”</p><p>He edges past Cloud, heading for the door. Andrea calls after him,</p><p>“Leslie. I’ll know in a week.”</p><p>“Whatever.” Leslie replies, closing the door behind him as he steps out into the gentle storm beyond. Andrea sighs, reaches up to rub at his temple.</p><p>“The hell was that about?” Cloud asks, turning to face Andrea even as he re-sheaths his sword along his back. He looks better than he had the last time Andrea’d seen him. Though really, any improvement at all would’ve done that. The light in his eyes more focused, though he’s generally looking a little waterlogged from the weather.</p><p>“Hello to you too, darling.” A tired smile flickers onto Andrea’s face before he shrugs. “Just a bit of...’work’ I suppose. Actually it’s a good thing you’re here. I have a question I’ve meant to ask. You said you’ve a friend who’s a pilot right? Cid, was it?”</p><p>Cloud nods, looking both curious and a touch wary. “Yeah. You tryin’ to get somewhere?”</p><p>“Wutai.”</p><p>Surprise flashes bright through Cloud’s expression as he turns to face Andrea better. Eyes narrowing a bit. “The hell you want to go there?”</p><p>Andrea’s smile twists wryly. “Because to the best of my knowledge, that’s the last known location of our dear sewer rat. One Don Corneo.”</p><p>“That bastard survived?”</p><p>The surprise in Cloud’s face shifts. Sharpens. Something incredulous and angry hovering there. Andrea blinks, tips his head.</p><p>“You say that like it’s a surprise.”</p><p>“Yeah well, most people don’t survive falling off a <em>cliff</em>.”</p><p>Andrea can’t even say he’s surprised anymore. Both at the fact of the Don’s rumoured survival and the fact Cloud had apparently run into the man again after Midgar. Learning more and more the world’s too big to be concerned with ‘coincidence’.</p><p>“Perhaps cockroach is more accurate, then. But my information’s rather recent, and I’ve little reason to doubt it. The Madame herself verified it. As much as anything can be these days of course.”</p><p>Cloud still looks slightly troubled by the revelation. But he nods, crossing his arms over his chest and shifting his weight.</p><p>“This is what it’s all been about, huh?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“When you said you were looking for people. It was for getting at Corneo.”</p><p>“In part.” Andrea replies with a nod. Not a lie, Corneo may have been priority, but his Bee’s locations and well being had only ever been a step beneath that.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>Andrea shifts. Curling his hands together on his raised leg. Strange how hard it is to put into words. How foreign it feels putting it out into the air. Always so carefully, <em>carefully</em> guarded. Kept from the wrong ears and barely whispered to the <em>right</em> ones underground. Hell, not even the Madame knows his <em>real</em> reason for wanting to unseat the Don. Their arrangement built simply on their mutual desire for his end.</p><p>“Because he and I had an...agreement. One I intend to collect on, because I need it to truly start rebuilding my life.” Cloud’s watching him and Andrea’s not quite sure what to make of the look on his face. Considering, but not. Quiet for a moment too long. Itches at the back of Andrea’s neck. “It’s not revenge if that’s what you think.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t blame you if it was.” Cloud says with a shrug so casual it startles Andrea. Because he can tell in a heartbeat that Cloud means it. Genuinely. Andrea’s not entirely certain why that surprises him- but it does. Even as Cloud continues. “I mean, I don’t know anything about it. But seemed like a pretty shit deal down there.”</p><p>Andrea hums. He won’t deny that. Just like he’d never deny his hand in Corneo’s ‘booming business’. He’s done a lot of things he isn’t proud of. Tried to distance himself from it, much as he could. To give people a reprieve from it all, if only for a moment in his little corner of the market.</p><p>But he knows better, deep down. Knows that there’s a part of him that will always be tucked away in the filth behind the Wall. Knows he’s done things – destroyed lives- that he can never make up for.</p><p>Wallowing again.</p><p>Pathetic.</p><p>He forgets himself a moment as he eases down from his lean against the couch. Winces sharp as the pain radiates up his leg.</p><p>“What’s wrong?”</p><p>The sharp edge of genuine worry in Cloud’s voice warms Andrea’s heart. The look on his face, that sweet twist to his brow. A steadying hand flying to catch Andrea’s arm as he pulls back to take the weight off his injured foot again.</p><p>“Sprained my ankle at work the other day. Foolish mistake.”</p><p>Cloud’s watching him. Close enough now that Andrea can make out the place where the green bleeds into blue. That almost too intent gaze scanning over his face slowly. Andrea feels an odd zing race through him.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Cloud asks, voice quiet. An edge of <em>something</em> to it. Andrea frowns a bit, tilts his head.</p><p>“I told you, sweetheart. My ankle’s—”</p><p>“No. Not that.” Cloud reaches for him. Andrea nearly jumping at the careful brush to his cheek. Running up to trail beneath Andrea’s eye. Oh. Shit. That’s right. He’d been cleaning his face after work. Hadn’t had a chance to reapply his make-up before Leslie’d barged in. Damn his foolish heart for the way he loves and hates to see the concern on Cloud’s face. “...You’re not sleeping. Are you?”</p><p>“I am—”</p><p>“The hell you are.”</p><p>That quiet anger stings worse than Leslie’s loud outbursts from earlier. Because it isn’t even <em>really</em> anger. Andrea’s seen Cloud’s anger. This is a candle to that particular bonfire.</p><p>“I.” The lie dies on his tongue as a chill sweeps through Andrea’ chest. Because he realizes just how much of a lie it is. Oh. God, when’d that happened...? Hadn’t he told himself— promised himself— to be honest with Cloud? Even with the hard things. No—especially with them.</p><p><em>Shit</em>.</p><p>“Is it more of those...dreams?” Cloud asks, that painful tension hovering just beneath his voice. Andrea’s fingers twitch a moment. Lets out a slow breath and nods.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“You jackass. You’re sitting here giving me shit when you—” Cloud cuts himself off. Hand dropping away to curl into a fist at his side. Something frustrated shadowing his down turned face.</p><p>Andrea flinches. Hurts to have his own hypocrisy thrown back in his face. He...he hadn’t <em>meant</em> for it either. But, a few nights of bad sleep seemed like nothing at all in the face of everything Cloud’s been doing. And keeping himself busy, perhaps to the point of absurdity. Always a nasty habit of his.</p><p>“...Sorry.”</p><p>Andrea blinks, gaze shooting up to stare at Cloud’s face. Tense and worried and, god. This sweet boy.</p><p>“For worrying?”</p><p>“Yelling.” Andrea almost wants to laugh. Goodness if that’s Cloud’s idea of yelling, Andrea’s gotten off easy indeed. Cloud hesitates a moment then shakes his head. Straightens up to look straight at Andrea. “What’d you need?”</p><p>“Well. I was going to make myself a snack before Leslie stopped by. Care to join me?”</p><p>“Andrea.” The chiding sigh in Cloud’s voice almost makes Andrea smile. Mostly just makes him flinch again. “Meant with the Corneo thing. It’s important, right?”</p><p>Andrea chuckles. Nods. Supposes the accumulation of literal <em>years</em> of his life deserves a little more reverence. Just another point in Leslie’s favour. Dammit. He meets Cloud’s gaze seriously.</p><p>“Very. In many ways it’s the last step for me. To lower the curtain over that part of my life.”</p><p>Cloud’s expression shifts. Softens. Almost too much understanding in those blue-green eyes.</p><p>“Okay. I’ll contact Cid. Can take him a while to get back to me, but—”</p><p>“It’s fine. Not going much of anywhere with this leg yet either. Thank you, Cloud. It means more than you know.” A genuine smile curls over Andrea’s face. Warm and bright despite the persistent ache of his ankle and the distant rumbling in his stomach. “Enough about all that for now. I am genuinely famished.”</p><p>Carefully shifting his weight back on to his foot, Andrea chuckles to himself about how closely Cloud’s watching him.</p><p>“Do you want a hand?”</p><p>“I appreciate the offer, but I’m hardly an invalid.” Andrea teases, blinks at the way Cloud’s eyes go a touch wider. The way he shakes his head. Something like guilt flickering beneath his eyes.</p><p>“Sorry. I didn’t-”</p><p>Ah. He knows by now just how much being treated as ‘lesser’ in moments of weakness pricks at Cloud. Doesn’t surprise Andrea to find him applying that same logic to others. And while Andrea generally doesn’t like being ‘babied’ himself, he also knows that was nowhere near Cloud intent.</p><p>“It’s fine, silly boy. Would you grab me the painkillers out of the bathroom, please?”</p><p>It’s unreasonably sweet how quickly Cloud darts off. Leaves a smile on Andrea’s face even as he hobbles the rest of the way to the kitchen.</p><p>Cloud returns quickly with the bottle of pills. Andrea gratefully downs his dose and settles in at the table while Cloud grabs things at his direction. Easy to fall into the familiar rhythm the two of them have built up. Relaxing to fall into it. To have Cloud around again. Glad to see whatever he’d been off doing hadn’t worn on him as heavily as the last time.</p><p>As they finish up, both their meal and clean up, Andrea gently tugs the other to him just before the island. Missed having the other close. Relieved that it lacks the frightened tension of the last time. Andrea savours that as much as he savours glancing his lips along Cloud’s pretty face. Chuckles through his nose when Cloud gets frustrated and shifts to make Andrea kiss him properly. Cloud’s hands fall to Andrea’s hips to keep him close. Andrea sliding his against the blond’s chest. Cloud’d ditched his harness when they’d started cooking. Mean’s Andrea’s got full access to him, even through the heavy wool.</p><p>“Andrea...”</p><p>Oh. There’s that delicious low rumble in Cloud’s chest. Intensity sparking between them like lightning dancing through heavy, blackened clouds. Cloud’s mouth hungry, body pressed firm against his.</p><p>Andrea gasps, flinching a little when the edge of the island digs into his back. A brief jolt of pain radiating up from his ankle. Cloud eases off immediately, something chagrined on his face. Tongue darting across his lips and snaring Andrea’s attention.</p><p>“Sorry-”</p><p>“No.” Andrea cuts in. Cloud’s not the only one surprised by the roughness to his voice. “Don’t be.”</p><p>“But your leg-”</p><p>“It’s fine, Cloud.” Andrea hushes him again, gentler this time. Heart swelling under the concern the other’s radiating on his behalf. “I’m fine. Honest.”</p><p>The darling boy’s still obviously worried. So Andrea nips it in the bud as best he can. Reaches to loop his arms around Cloud’s neck. Slowly shifting more of his weight into and against the other. Cloud barely wavers before he seems to catch onto what Andrea’s doing. Hands curling tighter against his sides. Supports him even as Andrea teases. Catching Cloud’s lower lip beneath his teeth, tugging at it gently. Watches Cloud’s expression flicker back to heated through lidded eyes.</p><p>“Hang on.”</p><p>“Mm?” Andrea rumbles, but it pitches into a low gasp as Cloud’s hands drop to his hips again. Clutching tight and the next moment, Andrea’s being lifted. Straight off his feet, only to be settled carefully atop the island with barely a grunt from Cloud. A quiet rush of heat flares through him. Blinking his eyes open to stare down at Cloud.</p><p>Oh...</p><p>God there’s a sight.</p><p>“Okay?” Cloud asks, that sweet, lingering concern on his face. Bright in his beautiful eyes. Hands shifting to rest against Andrea’ thighs instead. Rubbing absent circles with his thumbs. Andrea smiles. Dipping forward to brush his nose against Cloud’s.</p><p>“Perfect.” He murmurs. Perhaps a little too pleased at the flicker in Cloud’s eyes and the faintest shiver of warmth through his face. “Thank you.”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help it. Has to kiss this sweet, precious soul again. Smiles when Cloud’s hands twitch against his thighs. A quietly startled grunt into his mouth as Andrea slides his hands up into Cloud’s hair. Curling there to tilt Cloud’s head to fit their mouths together better. Tugs at Cloud gently, both for the joy of the quiet noise the blond makes as well as to get him to settle between the cradle of his knees.</p><p>“I’ve missed you, my darling Cloud. So much.” Andrea murmurs as they part for breath. Meeting those gorgeous eyes with a smile as he skates one hand down to brush the side of Cloud’s face. Smiles when Cloud hums, leaning absently into the touch. Andrea shifts to be closer to that pretty shadow smile. Wincing and frowning when the shift has his heel bumping against the solid wall of the island. Sends a bolt of lightning agony flashing through his limb. Dulled by the earlier painkillers sure. But still.</p><p>Cloud draws back, brow furrowing again in that sweet concern.</p><p>“Careful.”</p><p>“Yes, yes.” Andrea mutters, waving an absent hand as he glowers down at his wounded limb. Now held awkwardly stiff in the air in an attempt to get himself to remember to baby it. “Damn thing. Nobody’s fault but my own though.”</p><p>“Take your mind off it...?”</p><p>The quiet, slightly surprising offer drags Andrea’s attention back to Cloud immediately. Blinks when Cloud’s fingers graze his cheek. Well, well. Does the sweetness never stop with this one?</p><p>“I’d like that.” Andrea replies with a quiet grin. Leans back a little and arches a brow. “What’d you have in mind?”</p><p>“C’mere.”</p><p>Andrea gasps, soft and startled as Cloud lifts him carefully off the island once again. Legs hooking instinctively around Cloud’s waist. Hangs on as Cloud carefully shifts them out of the kitchen. Over into the living room Andrea realizes what Cloud’s up to as he’s lowered down into the soft cradle of his chair.</p><p>It’d be a lie to say that casual show of Cloud’s strength hadn’t stirred Andrea more than a little. Should be tempered by the careful way Cloud’s handling him, but it isn’t. If anything it just throws more fuel onto the flickering flames. As Cloud eases back gazing down at him with tender, worried eyes.</p><p>Gentle.</p><p>So gentle, always. It’s enough to break a man’s heart.</p><p>Just as the sight of Cloud sinking to his knees before him in a slow, graceful slide is enough to damn near stop it. Heat pulsing low in his gut. Andrea’s breath leaving him in a low breath of sound.</p><p>“My turn.”</p><p>“Keeping score or something?” Andrea teases. Voice a quiet rumble of heat in his chest.</p><p>“Nah.” Cloud shakes his head, eyes lidded, but bright as his gaze flickers up to Andrea’s. One of his pretty shadow smiles hovering in the corner of his mouth again. Something just a little tentative marking his brow.“Just want you to feel good.”</p><p>“You don’t have to try too hard for that.”</p><p>Cloud just huffs. Rolls his eyes. Shuffles a little closer even as he reaches for Andrea again. A brief, questioning glance towards Andrea as his hands curl against the band of Andrea’s pants. The dancer nods and with a bit of careful manoeuvring, they get him stripped of them and his underwear.</p><p>The room’s cool around them due to the still open window. Can still hear the sound of rain pounding against the world beyond. Brushes against Andrea’s slow burgeoning erection a bit unpleasantly.</p><p>But Cloud doesn’t leave him to suffer for long. Sliding his hands along and under Andrea’s thighs. Hiking them up to hook over Cloud’s shoulders. A smile flickering soft over Andrea’s face as Cloud turns his head. Presses his lips to the soft skin of his thigh.</p><p>“Your leg okay like this?”</p><p>“Just fine. I can put it up later.” Andrea soothes. Smiling when Cloud nods. Has no doubt Cloud’ll make sure of it once they’re done. Cloud’s hands skate along his legs. A pretty contrast between their skin tones too. Andrea hums, head rolling against the back of the chair.</p><p>“<em>Mmm</em>. Spoiling me again, darling.” Andrea says, watching as Cloud trails along him further. Up past his hips and under his shirt. Dragging it up a few inches as Cloud leans forward. Andrea’s cock twitching it more than a little interest at the graze of warm breath and press of Cloud’s lips to his stomach. One of his hands slipping down to brush Andrea’s cock. Almost too gentle. A touch rough from the dryness. Still delightful if only for the fact Cloud’s taking the initiative. Andrea hums. Swelling in the tight glide of Cloud’s hand against him.</p><p>Pulses again when Cloud glances up at him. A faint touch of color in the high arch of his cheeks. Pinking the tips of his ears. Warm against Andrea’s fingers as he brushes a hand through golden hair.</p><p>“Okay if I suck you off?” Cloud murmurs and a <em>zing</em> of lightning want rushes through Andrea. Softened only slightly by the rush of fondness at the faint embarrassment lurking in Cloud’s eyes.</p><p>“Of course.” He says, more than a touch of rasp to his voice. Only grows when Cloud shifts them. Settles Andrea’s legs a little further up his shoulders. His grip on Andrea’s erection shifting to the base. Holding him steady as Cloud dips down. Lips and tongue brushing the sensitive head.</p><p>Andrea hums, sighs. Pulls his hands away from Cloud to give the boy free range. Doesn’t want to interrupt this burst of confidence or give Cloud reason to second guess himself.</p><p>“That feels wonderful.” He says, stomach tightening a moment as Cloud drags the flat of his tongue along him. A slow, heated slide from the base of his cock to the head. “<em>Aah.</em>”</p><p>His hands curl briefly against the arms of the chair. Biting at his lower lip briefly as Cloud takes him into his mouth. Just past the head perhaps, but still. The sweet contrast of pleasure against the earlier ache is welcome.</p><p>Cloud’s pulled his hands away from Andrea’s cock again. Sliding them along the underside of his thighs and around. To his hips and waist to arch Andrea slightly as Cloud takes him deeper.</p><p>Andrea smiles around his next groan. God this boy. Always so sweetly determined to do his best. Just that thought alone is enough to fuel his building arousal. Hell, if he keeps at it like this, Andrea won’t be surprised if he-</p><p>The dancer’s next thoughts sublimate into nothing but incredulous heat as Cloud suddenly shifts. Tips his head just so and Andrea sees him- <em>feels</em> him- relax even as he presses forward, presses closer. Lets Andrea’s cock sink deep, then deeper. Slipping with startling, shocking ease right into Cloud’s throat.</p><p>“Cloud-!?” Andrea chokes, eyes wide as he locks his muscles in an effort not to thrust into the sudden tight heat all around him. Hands locking tight against the arms of his chair. “What—”</p><p>Andrea’s voice cuts out on a groan. A dual punch of heat into his gut at the feeling of Cloud swallowing around him and the way those too bright, wet eyes glance up at him.</p><p>“Oh <em>fuck</em>...” An incredulous laugh trips out over his tongue. A touch wild and stunned. Holding himself carefully still proves to be something of a challenge when Cloud swallows around him. The sudden pressure and wet heat all around him a brilliant burst of pleasure. “Don’t—<em>nngh—</em> d-don’t push yourself.”</p><p>Cloud doesn’t particularly seem to care either way. Just hums around him in a way that leaves Andrea aching. Hovers to keep Andrea in the depths of his throat a few more moments before Cloud draws back again. A wet, frankly obscene sound as he tries to swallow against the build up of saliva. Hands sliding to brace against Andrea’s legs again</p><p>“Good?” He rasps and Andrea groans at the sound of his voice. Feeling breathless himself as he reaches for the other. Pushes Cloud’s hair from his face. Grasping at the side of it as he stares into those surreal eyes.</p><p>“Fucking <em>perfect</em>.” He says, absolutely serious. Can’t even revel in the shiver that runs through Cloud at his words. Too caught up in trying to wrap his head around what Cloud’d just done. “By Gaia herself Cloud. What—”</p><p>It’s a little rude, Cloud stealing his words <em>again</em> as the blond ducks down to take Andrea back into his mouth again. Not as deep, whatever little grace that may be. Not much as those gorgeous hands trail along him. Grasping at muscled thighs and the curve of his ass. Sinking down further and further until Andrea brushes the back of his throat yet again.</p><p>“Oh Cloud. <em>Fu-ck</em>.” The word breaks harshly in two on Andrea’s tongue. Moaning long and pleased as Cloud pulls back a little again. Sucks at him, bobbing his head. Tracing the prominent vein along the underside of Andrea’s cock with his tongue. Andrea’s knees quake a moment from their place against Cloud’s shoulders. “<em>Mmn</em>! Oh sweetheart. God. <em>God yes</em>. Like that.”</p><p>There’s a glancing brush of fingers against the furl of his entrance. Brief and fleeting. Likely unmeant, just a side effect of Cloud pawing at him. Still sends a spark racing straight up Andrea’s spine. Chases a gasp from his lips.</p><p>He’s absolutely flirted with the idea of Cloud inside him- in any capacity, really. His elegant, strong fingers. That gorgeous, slender cock. But the desire for it’s never hit him quite so strongly. Andrea groans and rolls his head. Lamenting that Cloud hadn’t haul him off the bedroom if only because that’s where the lube is. Andrea frowns a little, humming in consideration. He really ought to start stashing the odd tube here and there. Like he used to back in his room at the Inn-</p><p>Bad idea, thinking about that. Just sends another choking rush of heat through him. Has him throbbing heavily against Cloud’s tongue as the other pulls back again. A long strand of saliva and pre-cum hanging bright in the air between Cloud’s mouth and the head of his glistening cock. Cloud’s face a lovely flush of color to offset his glowing eyes and he catches his breath.</p><p>Andrea reaches for him. Can’t help himself. Snaps the thread connecting them with a brush of his fingers. Trailing along Cloud’s glossy lower lip. Dips two of them just inside his mouth. Cloud’s eyes flash. Something headed and surprised, before his lips close against Andrea’s fingers.</p><p>Oh.</p><p><em>Oh</em>.</p><p>He’d thought so, but never quite had such a vivid confirmation. A smile drags across his face. Slow and heated as the fire in his gut. Flooding through his limbs. Strokes a thumb the edge of Cloud’s lips.</p><p>“Good boy.” He rumbles and Cloud makes a noise around his fingers. Edging on a whine. Cheeks darkening beautiful as he blinks. A flash spark of something wonderful flaring in those beautiful eyes. Apparently this is as much a realization for Cloud as it is confirmation for Andrea.</p><p>Delightful.</p><p>But the aching, needy pulse of his erections enough to tell Andrea it can be explored later. So he slips his fingers back from between Cloud’s lips. Humming deep in his chest as Cloud’s tongue darts out against his lower lip as Andrea settles again.</p><p>“Keep going?”</p><p>“If you don’t mind.” Andrea replies, nearly shivering beneath the certainty in Cloud’s eyes as he nods.</p><p>Andrea moans, long and low as Cloud dips his head lower. Nose to the base of Andrea’s erection as he mouths the dancer’s balls. Makes Andrea spill a bead of precum that Cloud catches on his tongue as he drags up along the length of him again.</p><p>Hovers with his lips pressed to Andrea in a lingering parody of a kiss. So much heat in his beautiful eyes as he takes a slow breath through his nose. Andrea’s abdomen clenches reflexively, another spill of pre painting Cloud’s lips as Andrea’s cock jumps. Cloud’s lips twitch against him. A flicker of something like a smile before they part as Cloud dips his head halfway down Andrea’s length again.</p><p>There’s the energy again. A brief flare buzzing in the air around them before Cloud’s grip on him shifts. Tightens. Cloud pulls Andrea back into his throat with barely a gag. A hard swallow against him and instinct has all of Andrea lurching-</p><p>Except he can’t.</p><p>He <em>can’t</em> because Cloud has him pinned to the seat. Effortless and easily as he’d taken Andrea’s cock into his throat.</p><p>“Oh.” Heat floods through Andrea. Sudden and sharp and for a moment he swears on the cusp of orgasm just from realizing that he’s more or less at Cloud’s mercy. Heat slamming into his gut with all the gentleness of one of the trains back in Midgar. “Oh <em>fuck</em>-”</p><p>Andrea rolls his head back against the chair. Tears his eyes away from the all too enticing sight of Cloud pulling back off his length. Hard enough to fight against the sensation. All wet heat and delicious suction. Has to- or he runs the risk of cumming. Of losing this sweet, sweet sensation all too soon.</p><p>“Cloud. <em>Cloud—</em> <em>a-aaah</em>!<em> Fuck—!</em>”</p><p>Cloud doesn’t seem to care much. Swallows hard around him again before pulling back. Andrea’s body twitching hard, still unable to <em>move</em>. Blessedly, Cloud gives them both a moment to breath. Beautiful flush to his cheeks. Gaze stubborn and determined. Full of flickering fire. Keeps Andrea pinned right where he is as Cloud sinks back over him. Redoubling his efforts to drive Andrea <em>completely</em> out of his mind.</p><p>The blond also shifts closer, settling Andrea’s legs higher on his shoulders. Better leverage if he <em>could</em> move. But Cloud’s still keeping him fixed in place. The sounds of sucking, lapping and swallowing around him loud in the quiet of the room.</p><p>Andrea’ can’t help it. His hands lurch down to bury tight into Cloud’s hair. Clutching and dragging at him desperately as the pleasure mounts high and higher. A stream of noise and praise and absent begging constantly falling from his lips. Not at all helped by Cloud.</p><p>And those eyes. Those goddamn beautiful, impossible eyes are watching him. Bright and wet and overflowing with so much Andrea’ chokes on it as Cloud moans around his cock again. His grip on Andrea loosens a touch. Andrea having all of a moment to mourn the loss of that firm touch. Before his body catches up with the fact he now has leverage. Can move to chase that sweet horizon of bliss.</p><p>So chase it he does.</p><p>And Cloud just <em>takes</em> it. Happily, easily. Willingly. Let’s Andrea drag him impossibly further down his cock. Lets Andrea’s hips stutter up against him. Brief, but hard thrusts. One, two, three before the tension in Andrea’s just snaps and he spills. Long, hard and buried deep in Cloud’s poor abused throat. His own scraped by the harsh mix of a shout and the others' names that burst from him.</p><p>As the blissful, mindless high of his orgasm fades Andrea finally remembers to try and catch his breath. Panting and blinking hard up at the ceiling as he tries to gather his wits once more. Feels the throb kicking up in his ankle, but fuck if he cares at the moment. Every nerve singing in pleasure.</p><p>An idea slowly, <em>very</em> slowly, starts to flicker in the back of Andrea’s mind. Drags itself up and up into something coherent. It <em>seems ridiculous</em> on the face of it.</p><p>But he knows the technique Cloud just employed, because it’s <em>his</em>.</p><p>“Did...” Andrea pauses, hesitates. The idea sounds foolish, the words strange on his tongue. Forces himself to let them stumble out. Wonder and shock brightening his voice. “Did you learn how to do that just from watching me...?”</p><p>“Wasn’t <em>just</em> watching.” Cloud replies, something like a pout on his flushed face. That all to delicious rasp to his voice. Then he shrugs. The motion oddly stilted and hesitant. “Told you. ‘m a fast learner.”</p><p>Andrea laughs, low, breathless and just a touch wild. God, only Cloud. Only Cloud Strife would be so damn blase about learning how to <em>deepthroat</em> someone after experiencing it all of <em>once</em>. Ridiculous. Impossible-</p><p>“Fuck...” Andrea breathes, another laugh bright in his voice. “You’re unbelievable.”</p><p>Cloud hums, noncommittal. Turning to the pile of Andrea’s clothes beside him. Carefully helping get Andrea back into them, frowning when he catches sight of the painful swell of his ankle.</p><p>“I could throw a Cure or Regen over it, if you want.” Cloud says after a moment of study. Pretty eyes—still faintly glowing—flickering to his. The offer’s sweet, and admittedly more than a little tempting. But it’s also all too easy to remember Cloud refusing to use such methods on himself when he’d be hurt far, far worse. Andrea’s mind muttering to him of the apparent ‘cost’ of magic Cloud had hinted at.</p><p>So instead the dancer just smiles. Shakes his head.</p><p>“Thank you dear. But that’s alright. Would you mind helping me wrap it instead? I think I’ve got a few compression bandages or something in the bathroom.”</p><p>Cloud hurries off to go find them, but only after he’s scooped Andrea up out of his chair again and settled him more comfortably on the couch. A stack of throw pillows tucked beneath his injured foot. Making sure it’s elevated properly.</p><p>Andrea blames the recent, rather mind boggling orgasm on the flood of emotion that swirls tight through his chest. Knows it’s a lie and doesn’t try to keep up the facade as Cloud returns. Settling on the ground beside him with ice packs and the bandages.</p><p>He turns out to be an incredibly deft and proficient hand at it. Taking time to soothe the swelling briefly with ice before he starts to wrap it. Touch firm, but gentle. Practiced. Andrea smiles as he watches. A thought springing to mind as Cloud finishes. Slips from him almost without thought.</p><p>“Do you have field experience? As a medic I mean?”</p><p>“I...” Cloud’s hands pause as he finishes tying off the bandage. Gazing a little blankly at the off-white cotton. Sets his jaw and shrugs.“I’m not sure.”</p><p>Something uneasy flickers in Andrea’s chest. Of course he knows of Cloud’s memory problems. But it still surprises him at times, to realize just how far reaching they are. Threatens to grind pieces of his heart near to dust at times. Cloud looking distant for a moment certainly doesn’t help the feeling. But after a moment, the blond shakes his head a little. Focus turning back to Andrea’s foot.</p><p>“Think they gave us all pretty basic training in it.” A brief flicker of two-toned eyes in his direction. “Why?”</p><p>“You’re just very good at it.” Andrea says, reaching out to rest a hand over Cloud’s. Squeezing gently. “Thank you, Cloud.”</p><p>“Sure.” Cloud pulls back, getting to his feet. “You need anything?”</p><p>“Just rest now, I think. Are you heading back?” Andrea tries to keep the melancholy out of his words, his face. Cloud’s done so much for him today already. But Cloud’s expression flicks. Brow furrowing. Something unreadable behind his eyes.</p><p>“I can, if you wanna be alone.”</p><p>“No.” The word leaves him too sharp. Andrea bites his lip and shakes his head. “No. I just didn’t want to be keeping you from anything important.”</p><p>“Don’t be an idiot.” Cloud’s voice isn’t sharp. Isn’t hard. But there’s a strength to it that puts an edge of steel into Andrea spine. Can’t pull his attention away from that <em>look</em> in Cloud’s eyes. “You’re important.”</p><p>Oh...</p><p>That too tight swell of emotion bottles hard in Andrea’s throat. God if the expression on Cloud’s face doesn’t make Andrea’s heart want to burst. Sweet, concerned and determined all at once. Like he’s ready- and willing- to do battle with Andrea’s silly doubts.</p><p>If only he’d do the same for himself sometimes...</p><p>“I’d be very happy if you stayed then. As long you can.” Andrea’s smile flickers a little. A touch sheepish as he nestles back into the pillow beneath his head again. “I’m sorry I won’t be better company.”</p><p>“’s fine. You need the rest.”</p><p>“Mm.” He won’t argue that. Not after Cloud’d called him out on the very same thing earlier. Settles under the light throw Cloud tosses over him to keep away the chill of the quiet storm still outside. “Make yourself at home, my dear.”</p><p>Andrea wakes later to the smell of freshly cooked food in the air. To his painkillers and a glass of water in arms reach. To the sight of Cloud curled up in his chair. One of Andrea’s novels open on the arm, but the blond’s eyes are on him.</p><p>“Hey.” Cloud greets him, voice soft in the evening quiet. “There’s food, if you want.”</p><p>“I can tell- smells divine.”</p><p>“I can bring it to you, if you want.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles. Carefully prying himself up on the couch. Shivers a little as the warmth of the blanket pools in his lap. Leaving his arms to suffer the chilling brushes of air.</p><p>“It’s appreciated, but I should walk on it a little.”</p><p>It’s funny the way Cloud still hovers while trying so very hard no to. Sweet the way he makes sure Andrea can prop his foot up again even at the table. Andrea can’t say he’s all that against the careful attention. Not when it keeps Cloud close as they pick their way through their meal. Another delicious pot of that stew Cloud’d made them the first time he’d ever cooked for Andrea. Warming and filling. As delicious as the last time, if not more so.</p><p>Of course, all good things reach their end and as the last of things are tidied away Cloud has to leave once more. So Andrea sees him off despite Cloud’s half hearted protests. Waves off the silly apology for barging in earlier when he’d been speaking with Leslie. Steals a kiss— or several there on the doorstep just to smooth out that stubborn furrow.</p><p>As he watches Cloud mount his bike and head off into the slow dying storm an idea sparks at the back of Andrea’s mind. Cloud’d mentioned he’s heading out for another delivery run tomorrow. Early by the sounds of it. But even so, if he times it right, Andrea should have a good chance at catching him before Cloud leaves again.</p><p>Claude’s a darling to pick him up early. Cooing the whole damn way about how ‘adorable’ the whole thing is. Andrea just rolls his eyes at his friend and carefully slips out of the truck as the park a short distance from Seventh Heaven. Just in time too. Cloud’s out front with Fenrir, attaching one special case to the back.</p><p>“Cloud!” He calls, chuckling when Cloud’s attention jerks to his. Slightly wide eyes as he stops what he’s doing. Meets Andrea partway as he picks his way down the street towards the bar. Sees the worry and question clear on that pretty face. Andrea smiles, “Sorry, I know you’re headed out, but I have something for you.”</p><p>Rifling quickly through his bag, Andrea finds it and reaches to grab one of Cloud’s hands. Pulls it over and drops the item into Cloud’s palm. Blue-green eyes dart to it, confusion over taking a lot of the concern as he eyes the small silver key.</p><p>“What’s this?”</p><p>“It’s to my apartment.” Andrea explains and nearly feels breathless from how fast Cloud’s gaze jumps back to him. Startled, pretty lips parted in genuine shock. Andrea just smiles brighter. Curls Cloud’s fingers back over the key and squeezes gently. “I mean what I said, Cloud. I want you to be able to go there whenever you have need. Always. And this way, that door’s always open to you should I happen to not be there.”</p><p>Cloud looks...floored.</p><p>Stunned. Feeling so much his expression’s almost empty, though his eyes are swimming.</p><p>“Andrea—”</p><p>“Will you take it? I’d rather not come home again to find you waiting in the cold. Not when you could be safe inside.”</p><p>Cloud’s hand trembles briefly beneath his. His eyes almost too glossy. The breath he lets out stutters. But he nods still. Hesitant then more firmly a moment later.</p><p>“...Okay.”</p><p>God it takes every ounce of willpower Andrea has not to just drag Cloud into his arms and kiss him. To feast on every beautiful, overwhelming emotion he can see in that shaken gaze. But Cloud’s already feeling too much. And Andrea’s more than aware of the sounds and sights of Edge waking up around them.</p><p>So he gives Cloud’s hand one final squeeze and takes a careful step back.</p><p>“Thank you. Be safe, my darling. I’ll see you when you get home again.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. The Night is Dark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <em>trumpet fanfares for Avasti for being wonderful as always </em>
</p><p>Sorry for the long ass break. Holidays and IRL kicked my ever loving shit in the last while. Anywho- much love as ever to the Rhife discord peeps for always being stupidly wonderful and supportive. Love you all so much! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cloud leaves for another job on Thursday. Just as he’s settling into bed come Saturday, Andrea’s phone chimes from its place on the bedside table. A message from Cloud by the sounds of it. Andrea’s been quietly bored enough putting his foot up that he may have spent more than a little time customizing his settings.</p><p>
  <strong>Cid said we’re a go. Week after next.</strong>
</p><p>It’s the strangest feeling in all the world. A rush both cold and hot. Trickling through his veins in place of his blood. Anticipation. Anxiety.</p><p>Finally.</p><p>Andrea clasps his hands together, drops his head and pressing his forehead to them tightly. Closes his eyes. Breathes. It’s finally happening. Years, literal <em>years</em> of his life aiming for this moment. Ever since he was too young and too foolish not to see—to <em>care—</em>what he was walking into. Thought he could handle it.</p><p>He had, but not without cost. To himself and to many others.</p><p>Not for the first time, he wishes he knew where Jules was. Even if just to send a message. To let him know that the end is near. He’d kept his little brother out of things as much as he could. Pushing him out and away from the filth to thrive in his gym with his boys. That was where he’d belonged.</p><p>Not that it’d at all stopped Jules from supporting him, in every way Andrea’d let him. And he few he’d tried not to.</p><p>At least there <em>are</em> people Andrea can reach out to. To share this rather momentous moment.</p><p>Silly perhaps, to be ‘celebrating’ before everything is done. He ought to know better. Really, <em>really</em> ought to know better.</p><p>But he’s already tapped the message out. Claude’s response is near instant. Drags a tired smile onto Andrea’s face and a quiet chuckle from his lips. Too good to him are his darling Bee’s. Still. He’d told them he’d keep them in the loop. And stepping into the final ‘dress rehearsal’ as it were deserves to be one of those collective moments.</p><p>Claude is happy for him, of course. Reminds him to be careful and offers to help work things out at the Studio so Andrea can take the days he needs. He’s too damn lucky. The sentiments are echoed by others of his Bee’s that get back to him over the course of the next couple days.</p><p>Gets a message come Monday that Cloud’s back home again. By then Andrea’s much more able to hobble around on his foot. He’s even more frustrated by the injury now than he was when it happened. Needs the damn thing to just fix itself.</p><p>Might take Cloud up on that earlier offer of a ‘quick fix’ if it’s not better by the time they leave. Selfish certainly, but this whole damn thing is. Why stop now?</p><p>Work’s been interesting the last while with him largely out of commission. Narissa hadn’t laughed at him— not that he thinks she <em>would—</em>but she had more or less handed over his classes to an uneven split between Claude and the other instructors. Andrea still goes every day, but largely lingers on the sidelines, offering critique and pointers. To tweak and fix his ideas. Granted they’re still three months out from the performance proper, but Andrea wants to have everything nailed down quickly. Especially given that, in less than a week, he’ll be wiggling his way out of work to finally bury the ‘hatchet’.</p><p>God it’s still surreal to think of. Seems impossible.</p><p>It hadn’t been a lie, what he’d told Cloud. He isn’t doing this for ‘revenge’. Nothing so base. Though Andrea certainly has more than the grounds to. Between the Inn, his life and livelihood. Mother...</p><p>Something approaching a smile twitches melancholy over his face. He tries not to think on it. To dwell on it. Knows it’s not anything she would’ve wanted for him. Just like he’s certain she’d take issues with the path he’s laid before his feet the last too long years of his life. She’d always warned him— warned them both—to stay well and far away from Corneo. But Andrea’s always, <em>always</em> been more stubborn than was good for him. Or the people in his life.</p><p>He just...hadn’t realized just how <em>deep</em> the putrid rot had truly run until he was already drowning in it. No one to blame but himself. Believing himself somehow clever. Somehow ‘above’ it all. Ridiculous. He’s learned better- just too late.</p><p>Andrea rolls his head back. Eyes closed, head against the back of his now customary seat. Listens to the sounds of his Weeds filtering out and Juniors wandering in. The familiar rattle of noise tugs at him. Reminds him, just a little, of the shift changes back at the Inn.</p><p>He’s never felt quite so close to finally having it all back within his grasp again.</p><p>And because of that, he can’t remember the last time he felt <em>this</em> particular band of anxious, nervous energy. Swears all this business with Cloud the last while’s cracked something of his once iron clad facade. He’s going to need it back. To patch the holes. Gird himself up in that bloody armour all over again.</p><p>He can do it. One final performance. One last step onto that foul rat’s stage and he’ll be <em>free</em>.</p><p>Or something close enough to it.</p><p><em>Put it away Andi</em>. <em>You’ve a job to do</em>. Andrea reminds himself sternly. Takes a breath and shoves it all away. Drags up the new facade he’s crafted himself over the last year. Fits far better now than it had when he’d first stepped into this new role. Into the Studio and the familiar, yet unfamiliar, steps of being a <em>teacher</em> first and performer second.</p><p>Strange to find Andrea doesn’t mind it as much as he’d once thought. It’s not what he <em>wants</em> out of life, not in the long run. But there are far worse places and faces he could’ve found himself tucked beneath.</p><p>Honestly, for how young his dear Flowers are, he’s proud of them. Of the progress they’ve <em>all</em> shown the few months they’ve worked together. Many of them had next to no experience the first time they’d shuffled into this room. Now he can see it, can see so many of them beginning to blossom and flourish. It’s exciting as always to see. To witness such metamorphosis. Both in the scope of their talents as well as the blossoming confidence he can see in their eyes. The way they carry themselves. Even Laurem’s come so far. He can’t imagine she’ll ever completely step out of that quiet shell that hovers around her shoulders. But she doesn’t need to. So long as she learns the worth of her own talent. To know she is more than the world will say.</p><p>Strange how sitting around doing all of <em>nothing</em> seems to wear at him more than the hours he’d spend on his feet before his injury. But as the day winds down again, Andrea finds himself yawning into the back of his hand. Sighing and massaging the bridge of his nose.</p><p>“I think they’re doing really well.” Claude says, wandering over to lean against the wall beside Andrea. A smile hovering on his face as he watches the younger dancers hurriedly bundle out of the room. Taping a finger against the boring white wall in time to the quiet music still pulsing soft through the air.</p><p>“Yes they are.”</p><p>“You seem like you’re doing better, too.” Claude continues, an air of pointed curiosity beneath his voice. In the light in his gaze as he glances over at Andrea. Andrea chuckles, nodding. Leans to brace an elbow on the back of the chair. Fist cradled gently to his temple.</p><p>“I think I am. Should be able to stop babying it—”</p><p>“After a few more <em>weeks</em> Andi. Don’t you start.” Claude cuts him off with a stern glower that lasts all of a moment before he sighs. Shuffles to bump the chair with a hip. “I <em>meant</em> you look more like yourself.”</p><p>Andrea sighs. Hums and nods. “I feel it too.”</p><p>“Good. Can I do anything?”</p><p>“You’ve done enough, dearest. Thank you.”</p><p>“Sure, sure. Now, don’t tell Luci I told you, buuut~” With a grin Claude scampers out of the room. Leaves Andrea blinking then chuckling after his friend. Turns his attention to Laurem, last in the room as usual.</p><p>“Laurem, may I get your opinion on something?”</p><p>“H-huh? Oh, uh. Sure Andi.”</p><p>“Well you see there’s this gap I was trying to fill in the second half. I thought I had an idea for it, but I’m curious.” Carefully Andrea leavers himself up out of the chair. Waving off the quiet “Oh, careful!” from the dear girl. “I’m fine. But I’m sure you’ve noticed it too. There’s a lag in energy just after—”</p><p>He can only be glad Claude’s <em>not</em> around at the moment to mother hen him. Truthfully Andrea is doing much better. The sprain wasn’t as bad as some he’s suffered in the past. Not even close to the worst he’s had. And doing a few silly, simple steps in beginner level choreography isn’t going to hurt him any worse than he is.</p><p>“So my issue, dear, is this.”</p><p>So, with the music playing in his head alone, Andrea coasts the steps. Swaying and shifting to the rhythm in his head. Knows Laurem’s watching and keen enough to pick up what he’s showing her even as he speaks. Clarity is always his method of choice, <em>especially</em> when he’s working on performance.</p><p>“It’s that split moment between Robin and Ashleigh . The transition between them loses too much of the energy— something I’m sure you’ve noticed.”</p><p>Laurem’s wandered closer. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Her gaze darting to his then away in that self-conscious way. “I-I did.”</p><p>“Thought so.” Andrea replies with a slightly exaggerated sigh. Folds an arm over his chest and taps at his chin and he hums. “What do you think? If you were going to keep tempo, how would you do it with this piece?”</p><p>“Me?”</p><p>“Well, I <em>could</em> ask the local ghost, but I’m afraid they’re usually haunting Harrlow’s speaker set right about now.” Andrea replies with a sigh. At least that chases some of the tension from her face. Shifts it to something more considering. Andrea shifts back a step to let her see into the mirror better.</p><p>“Well...uh. It’s a little on the nose, but maybe...”</p><p>Andrea holds up a finger with a smile. “Hold that thought, my dear. Let me get you proper accompaniment.”</p><p>“Oh, no, that’s alright!”</p><p>Before Andrea can so much as take another step away, Laurem’s fishing through her pockets. Tugs something small and silvery from her pocket. Fusses with a moment before familiar sounds start to pulse from it. Andrea blinks, realizing it’s a small music player of some persuasion. How interesting. And <em>useful</em> besides. What he wouldn’t have given to have something similar in his youth.</p><p>Laurem hands him the small device. Andrea can see the gears turning in her head. Sees her shifting minutely, clearly working through each of the steps in her head until they reach the point in the music they need. When it does, Laurem moves, fluid as anything as she catches the beat and follows in rhythm. Her own steps she’s run through dozens of times today. Tired as she must be between the many, <em>many</em> practices she pulls it off with an aplomb.</p><p>Laurem wasn’t wrong. Her solution to the problem <em>is</em> simple. But for that, it fits. A missing puzzle piece clicked unerringly into place in Andrea’s head. Into the steps that he’s been plotting out for weeks now.</p><p>It drags an all too pleased grin onto his face as he applauds her. Laurem only faltering when it’s not only the sound of Andrea’s quiet cheers that fill the air. They both glance back to find Claude hovering in the doorway, something shiny and pretty draped over his arm. A smile even brighter on his face.</p><p>“Oh bravo! Excellent idea Laurem. And I’m glad you’re here. Andi what do you think of this, since we’re sharing ideas.”</p><p>In quick, flitting steps Claude crosses the floor towards them. Pulls the thing off his arm and shakes it out with air of business-like flare as he holds it up before a startled Laurem. The red head blinks at it then at Andrea.</p><p>“Ah. Is that what you and Luci have been scheming all this time?”</p><p>“It’s not a <em>scheme</em> thank you very much. That’s more Lin’s thing anyway.” Claude replies airily, with a grin that does not lend any credence to his words. “Seriously, what do you think?”</p><p>Andrea thinks he loves it. The costuming is wildly nostalgic. Not from the Inn— or at least, not <em>his</em> Inn. It hearkens even further back. A lifetime ago, both for him and the place he’d fought so hard to make his own. Never quite able to shake <em>all</em> the trappings of the Garden, but that hadn’t exactly been the point.</p><p>No. A part of Andrea belongs- and will <em>always</em> belong— within the Garden. Just as part of him will always belong behind the Wall. In Midgar. Intrinsic to his being as his adoration of dance and performance.</p><p>Honestly, he’s touched that Claude and Lucia would even think of such an odd throwback. Especially since they hadn’t joined up until after it’d been turned over to him. Gotten his hands, eyes and ideas into near every aspect of it.</p><p>Though, with the simple theme of the recital itself, Andrea can’t say he’s too surprised that their thoughts would’ve led them there.</p><p>Reaching out, Andrea trails a hand across the soft fabric. The orange-gold color of it vibrant without being ‘bright’ in a way that would clash against the visions dancing through his mind. Contrasted beautifully against the dark overlay of fabric along the bodice proper. Traces out with cuts, almost like lace, that let that color peek through in beautiful floral patterns.</p><p>“It’s lovely.” Andrea says with a smile, softer perhaps than he means. Tucks away the strange, warm rush of something bordering on nostalgia. “What do you think Laurem?”</p><p>“I-I think it’s lovely. Are these for our class or...?”</p><p>“Yes that’s what we were thinking.” Claude replies with a pleased grin as he passes it over properly into Laurem’s curious grasp.</p><p>“Oh gosh, you aren’t going to make <em>all</em> the costumes are you?”</p><p>“We might do. Depends on if I can talk Luci out of it.”</p><p>“Um, Luci?”</p><p>“A friend of mine and Claude’s. She’s assisting us with the recital this time around.” Andrea explains. The edge of a sigh just at the edge of his voice. He’s going to have to get in contact with Lucia after this. He hadn’t brought her aboard this project to have her go <em>over</em>board. “Anyway, I believe we’ve kept you long enough Laurem. Take care and be safe getting home.”</p><p>Laurem yelps and darts for the door as soon as she registers the time. Andrea admits he feels a little bad about holding her up. But he had wanted to pick that brilliant mind and now his own thoughts are whirling.</p><p>“You know, Andi, I think she’s your <em>real</em> favourite.” Claude teases, plucking at a stray thread at the edge of the skirt. Andrea shrugs, not out to deny it. Never able to deny that once his interest is spiked it’s a damn near impossible thing to ignore. It’s a rare, rare thing after all.</p><p>Speaking of, it’s only now, free from other distraction, that Andrea catches the sound of his phone buzzing away from its place in his bag. Hobbling over, he hefts it up onto the chair to dig through, only just manages to pull it free and hit the answer button before the call ends. Doesn’t recognize the ringtone or number, brief as he’d glanced at it.</p><p>“Hello?” He asks, tucking the device against his shoulder as he does up his bag again. But there’s no answer. Just a distant hum of static. No other sounds, not even a breath. Frowning, Andrea taps the volume button along the side. Calls out another greeting.</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>Odd, seeing how it’s not ‘silent’ the way he’s come to associate with a disconnected call or anything like that. Just...</p><p>Static.</p><p>Something prickles along the back of his neck. A thought humming to life in the quiet of his mind. Cloud’s voice echoing right alongside it. But the idea is, of course, ridiculous. Like it's not just a bad connection or wrong number realized too late. With a sigh, Andrea ends the call. Feels Claude watching him curiously and the frown lingering on his own face.</p><p>Clearly he needs to get home and rest. Again. Seems that’s all his days are lately. Knows he’s being more than a touch dramatic about it all, but still. Andrea’s always hated inactivity. Hated stagnation. Worst still with everything else moving along. Moving forward.</p><p>He refuses to get left behind. Not now. Not in this.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>It’s not the last of the strange calls. They aren’t frequent by any means, happening at odd intervals. Sometimes as he’s waking from another night of shadowy, shapeless nightmares. Others as he’s getting home. Others he finds notifications for as he’s between classes.</p><p>Strange and stranger.</p><p>When a call finally does come that <em>isn’t</em> the strange staticy nothing, Andrea admits he’s feeling more than a little on edge. Still, it’s a relief to see Tifa’s name on the screen. Welcome and familiar as he answers it Thursday evening.</p><p>“Tifa, it’s lovely to hear from you! What can this old queen do for you?”</p><p>“<em>Hey Andi. I actually had a favour to ask?</em>”</p><p>“Oh? By all means then, ask away.”</p><p>That phone call’s what leads Andrea to be parked quietly comfortable in Seventh Heaven’s main room the very next day after work. Tucked up in one of the booths as Marlene chatters away happily at him from his left. Andrea can admit he’s only paying half attention. Busy checking out the new decor and fresh coat of paint covering the once soot marked wall behind the bar.</p><p>The renovations, though unfortunate if only for the circumstances that had led to them, have breathed a kind of new life into the charming space. Andrea’s almost certain he spots a few new photos on the wall too.</p><p>He’d wander closer to get a look, but honestly he doesn’t want to disrupt the apparent ritual of Denzel and Cloud attempting to usher a slightly harried looking Tifa out the door. Like they have been for the past ten minutes at least.</p><p>The young woman’s certainly a fighter. Not that Andrea’s ever doubted that, but it’s oddly charming to find it here. In a situation like this. Still, he wants her to be able to go out and enjoy herself just as much as the others do. So when Tifa’s eyes flicker to him for the dozenth time Andrea meets them with the same calm smile he’s sported all evening.</p><p>“You’re sure you don’t mind?”</p><p>“Not at all, Tifa.” Andrea repeats, worried just a little that the words are going to loose all semblance of meaning very soon. Feels like very little has passed his lips since their chat on the phone only yesterday.</p><p>Not that he can’t appreciate the nerves of course.</p><p>Tifa’s smile’s a little off kilter compared to her usual as she nods, tucking at her prettily done hair again. Fussing with perfection in Andrea’s opinion. Just a <em>touch</em> of self satisfaction in that he’d helped her do it.</p><p>“Thanks. Seriously I’m not going to be too late. It’s just dinner at this little place. I’ll have my phone if any of you need—”</p><p>“Tifa.”</p><p>It’s Cloud that cuts into the earnest ramblings this time. He’s been leaned, casual yet somehow tense against one of the round tables while <em>most</em> of the evening’s chaos has played out. Between the kids getting home from a late after school play-date, to Andrea and Tifa bustling around to get her ready for her date. Andrea’s been trying to work out what the expression on the blond’s face is nearly since he stepped inside. He still hasn’t quite managed it.</p><p>“I know. You’re right. Sorry, I guess I’m more nervous about this than I thought.” Tifa replies, tugging at the hem of her shirt once more before she sighs. Closing her eyes and taking a breath. Looks up at Cloud with a smile. “Thanks.”</p><p>Cloud just nods. That oddly serene tension still hovering in his shoulders as Tifa scoops her purse up off the counter. Slings it over her shoulder and scans the room once more. Smile twisting into something both confident and sheepish.</p><p>“Wish me luck.” She says and it’s almost a question. Only to be met with equally cheery and quiet calls of “Good luck!”, “Have fun!”.</p><p>Denzel’s looking at Cloud. A frown on his young face. Cloud finally clues into the attention and glances at the boy. Grunting a question. Denzel kicks his feet off the stool. Fussing a bit with the pen in his hand.</p><p>“Are you mad?”</p><p>“About what?” Cloud asks, looking and sounding genuinely confused. Denzel flinches, before he nods towards the window.</p><p>“’Bout Tifa going out with someone else.”</p><p>The question seems to startle Cloud. Eyes flashing wide. But the moment’s barely that before he shakes his head.</p><p>“Of course not.” Cloud replies, something steely to the tone of his voice. The set of his shoulders. Something soft in his eyes as they dart towards the door one more time. “Tifa deserves to be happy.”</p><p>“Yeah...” Denzel says, tapping his pen against the table by the paper he’s got in front of him Then he nods, much more firmly and meets Cloud’s gaze “Yeah she does.”</p><p>“Need a hand?” Cloud asks, finally pushing up from his sprawl. Denzel shakes his head, turning back to his work with only a shadow of his earlier pout.</p><p>“Nope. I’m okay.”</p><p>“Marlene?”</p><p>“I’m good!”</p><p>“I’ll get dinner started then.”</p><p>Andrea’ certain the old ‘ban’ is still in place despite the new fixings behind the bar. So he trails along and settles atop one of the newly upholstered stools. Leans happily on the bar as Cloud goes about flicking on lights and dragging out cutting boards, knives, pots and pans. Within minutes he’s got the air smelling absolutely delicious. Filled with the mouthwatering aroma of onion and garlic base. Andrea prodded at him a little to find out what he’s making, but at best he’s gotten half answers and absent little noises. With a fond roll of his eyes Andrea takes it upon himself to fill the quiet.</p><p>The kids both stay busy nearly right up to the time Cloud dishes them up. Heading into the last month of their schooling both of them are busy with final projects and the like. Honestly, having never attended <em>any</em> sort of school in his life, Andrea finds himself more than a little fascinated by the whole process. The excitement the two display talking about the lauded ‘summer break’ between bites is palpable.</p><p>Once all their bellies are full and everything’s cleaned up the kids drag them both upstairs- Cloud only just dodging their grasping hands and pleas long enough to make sure the doors are locked up. Then it’s up the creaky stairs and onto the fold-out couch. Already set up with a wealth of comfy pillows and blankets. Cloud snags them both before they can climb it.</p><p>“Not yet.” He replies evenly to the plaintive whines. “Get ready for bed first.”</p><p>Cloud disappears back downstairs a while as Andrea shepherds the kids along to get into their night clothes and brush their teeth and hair. They tumble back out to find Cloud just setting down a tray of four steaming mugs. Hands them out as they clamber up comfortably. Andrea takes his with a murmured ‘thank you’ that the kids are quick to echo. Cloud sets the now empty tray aside and rolls his mug between his hands on his leg. Levels a stern two-toned eye at the young faces peering eagerly at him.</p><p>“You get <em>one</em> story tonight. Not letting you stay up late just cuz Tifa’s out.”</p><p>“It’s <em>Saturday</em> Cloud. We don’t gotta get up early.” Denzel says, taking a careful sip of the delicious smelling tea. Andrea echo’s the boy. Humming in his chest at the sweet kiss of chamomile on his tongue.</p><p>“Says who?” Cloud replies, with a deadpan that Andrea can only laugh at. Rests his arm against his raised knee as he watches Marlene clamber over the veritable mountain of pillows she’s stacked around to bat those cruelly adorable eyes at him.</p><p>“Please Cloud? Andi’s never heard that story. The one about the dolphin—”</p><p>“We’ve heard that story like a hundred times Marlene!” Denzel complains from beside her. Pushing forward through the stack so he can’t be ignored either. “Why can’t he tell the one about the Condor?”</p><p>“Cuz that one’s boring. It’s just a bunch of fighting and stuff. Oh! What about when Yuffie played the trick on you all?”</p><p>“Oh yeah! That one’s funny. But—”</p><p>Andrea listens to the words spilling out of both kids with something approaching morbid fascination. Catches Cloud’s eyes over the rim of his mug and arches a brow. Only climbs higher when Cloud just rolls his eyes.</p><p>“Don’t you start.” The blond grumbles and Andrea’s grin has no hope of being hidden behind the cup.</p><p>“I haven’t the faintest idea what you mean.” He replies, perfectly even, “But I am delightfully intrigued. So.”</p><p>He gestures towards Cloud with an air of finality. Cloud sighs. Taking a slow sip of his own drink even as the kids settle. Clearly able to tell their adorable pleas are about to be bowed to. Andrea’ll admit they probably deserve the twin, all too smug looks they’re both sporting.</p><p>Sweet, as ever, just how firmly Cloud’s wrapped around their littlest whims.</p><p>Sweeter still because it’s so obvious all he really wishes is for their happiness. Their peace of mind and safety too, of course.</p><p>“You get one hour.” Cloud says in a way the brokers no nonsense. Both Denzel and Marlene look like they’re going to argue a moment. But apparently decide to cut their losses. Nodding and settling in deeper into the comfortable nest of blankets and pillows. Cloud leans a little more comfortably against the wall he’s camped against. Taps his finger absently on the edge of the mug. Eyes darting to the side a moment as he sighs.</p><p>“So, dolphin thing. yeah?”</p><p>“Yeah!” Marlene chimes and despite his sigh Denzel nods. Cloud echos the gesture and begins to weave a simple, yet fantastic tale of things and places Andrea can hardly guess at. Feels a little more like a child than the actual <em>children</em> pleasant when he has to ask what, exactly, a ‘dolphin’ looks like. Of course they’re all far too sweet to him. Happy to interject and explain. Marlene’s rather ruthless actually, not letting Cloud skip on any of the ‘good stuff’.</p><p>But there are things and places that Cloud puts his metaphorical foot down on. Places he won’t budge or the story ‘jumps’ strangely. Sometimes Cloud's focus goes along with it, but the kids are always quick to catch him and tug it back somewhat on course.</p><p>Funny, Andrea’d never really thought about it. And perhaps it’s just the recent...’incident’ that has it so fresh in his mind. But he wonders if Cloud deflecting the kid’s questions is an act of protecting them from the harder truths of his journey.</p><p>Or if it’s that Cloud himself doesn’t quite remember them.</p><p>Andrea’s quick to slam a lid atop that bubbling cauldron of dangerous thoughts. Too easy to sink into the dark fringes. Like a quicksand void opening up at his feet. And there’s no place for those shadows in these warm, welcoming walls.</p><p>He’s not sure how exactly Cloud’s keep track of time. Whether it’s been an hour or just that both Denzel and Marlene are trying to hide yawns and rubbing at slow blinking, tired eyes. But he comes to a halt telling them of the time Yuffie’d filtched all the groups materia.</p><p>“Alright kiddos. ‘s enough for tonight.”</p><p>The kids pout and grumble predictably. But neither of them fight it as Cloud plucks them one at a time from their nests. Hauls them off with tender strength to their bedroom and tucking them into the cooler sheets. Andrea hovers in the doorway as Cloud tugs warm blankets up around the kid’s necks. Marlene wiggles free of hers almost immediately to catch Cloud’s neck in a hug before he can shift too far back. The blond catches himself on a hand. A quiet, startled huff from his nose before he delicately returns the gesture.</p><p>“Night, Cloud.” Marlene says, voice sleepy bright. Rivalled only by her smile as she lets him go again and snuggles in with the cute little dog-like plush Andrea’s learned is called a ‘Carbuncle’. She arches her head up and offers a similar smile to Andrea. “Night Andi!”</p><p>“Night.” Comes Denzel’s tired grumble. Sounds halfway to sleep already.</p><p>“G’night.” Cloud echoes quietly as he eases across the floor. Wood creaking gently beneath his steps and the door squeaking gently as he tugs it shut behind them.</p><p>They take a moment to tidy things up a little before they trundle carefully back down the stairs. Cloud offers him pretty much free reign of the bar and its resources, but honestly Andrea’s feeling plenty content from the tea. So the two of them settle in at one of the booths.</p><p>Delightful of course, as the kids and Tifa are, Andrea would be a liar indeed to claim he hasn’t looked forward to a moment alone with this man again.</p><p>So he scoots a little closer down the bench. Reaches out to comb the ends of his fingers through Cloud’s hair. He’s been home a few days it seems and that’s a relief of its own. A lie to say Andrea hasn’t been worried. Especially after that awful night and subsequent terrifying morning. And while Cloud seems by all accounts to be doing far better, Andrea’s also learned not to underestimate his ability to hide his struggles.</p><p>Cloud’s eyes dart to him. Pretty in the low light. They’d left the bar mostly darkened. Only lit by the lights hanging against the bottom of the cupboards above the back counter. Quiet. Peaceful. Perfect. Homey in a way that not many places are these days. At least, not for Andrea.</p><p>Andrea lets his fingers drag down. Twisting the longest spike that trails alongside Cloud’s face between his fingers.</p><p>“How are you?” He asks. Both hurt and relieved at the way something in Cloud seems to give. Some wall easing down behind his eyes. Flickering with something bright, yet tired. That too familiar lingering exhaustion that doesn’t ever seem to go away any more. Cloud sighs, shifting in the seat and sinking down a little. Enough that he can lean his head back against the rest of it.</p><p>“Ready for this to be over.”</p><p>“I can imagine.” Andrea replies. Heart aching at the shadows that curl both around and through Cloud’s eyes. At the sigh he’s not sure Cloud knows he gives out. “I am too. For my own ‘mess’ as well.”</p><p>“Mm.” Some of the fatigue in Cloud’s eyes lifts. A spark there Andrea can’t quite place. “How long’ve you been at all this?”</p><p>Andrea chuckles. “I think it’d be easier to recount the time that I <em>haven’t</em> been after him in some fashion.”</p><p>Cloud shifts, twist to face Andrea more head on. A question in his eyes that doesn’t pass his lips. An offer and curiosity all in one, but Andrea also knows Cloud’s not going to pry into his business should Andrea not wish him to.</p><p>Far too sweet, this darling boy of his.</p><p>A smile plucks at the edge of Andrea’s mouth. Slips his finger around to tap at the upturn of Cloud’s nose gently. Cloud jerks away but it’s easy to see it’s far more preformative annoyance than anything.</p><p>“Thank you, by the way. For what you’re doing.”</p><p>“You should’ve asked earlier. Coulda been done with it by now.”</p><p>Andrea huffs a laugh and nods. “I know.”</p><p>Cloud watches him a moment longer. Something lingering and curious in his eyes before he settles back comfortably again. It’s a comfortable quiet, only the sound of the fans chopping lazily above them. Soft shadows hanging all about the room. Just like the niggling little thought that hasn’t left him since they’d breached the whole Corneo subject at all.</p><p>“Cloud?”</p><p>“Mm?”</p><p>“Earlier you...” Andrea shifts a little, letting his still sore ankle stretch out a bit. Hands curling in his lap. “You said you had dealings with him- outside of Wall Market?”</p><p>“Yeah. Bastard was hiding out in Wutai too. Kidnapped Yuffie and one of Shinra’s Turks. Girl named Elena.” Andrea wonders if that was the young blonde haired woman the day the Turks had driven back with Cloud. After finishing all their business in Midgar. “Two of her people showed up and Corneo went over the cliff. Thought for sure he was dead.”</p><p>Andrea hums, absent. A small frown playing on his face. Odd. He’s...not sure <em>how</em> he feels about the idea. To have come so far, done so much, only to find the Don potentially already dealt with. Should be a relief, yet it’s not so cut and dry as that. If anything his relief’s turned more to the fact the man’s apparently still alive despite his ordeals.</p><p>Feels a brief moment of disgust with himself.</p><p>“You need him alive?”</p><p>“No...specifically, no. There are. Answers I’d like, but ones I’m sure he wouldn’t be willing to give. Not readily. All I truly require are a few items I know he keeps in his possession.”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>There’s something quietly certain in Cloud’s low voice. Pricks at Andrea and the dancer straightens a little. A faint frown playing at the edge of his lips.</p><p>“Cloud, you don’t need to—”</p><p>“You think I’m letting you do this on your own?” “I. You can. If that’s what you want. But. ‘Least lemme...I dunno. Play bodyguard or something. Bastard’s a slippery one. Wouldn’t surprise me if he’s got his goons or worse with him.”</p><p>Andrea has no idea why he feels so. Surprised? By the offer. Sure, it hadn’t been for ‘him’ that first encounter back in the Market. But even so Cloud’d still been so quick to offer his time and talent. Not just to him, no. Andrea’d heard the stories from the Madame and Sam themselves. Cloud wandering the seedy streets cleaning up little bits and bites of the shadows as he went.</p><p>“...Thank you.”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>“No.” Andrea cuts into the others flippancy. A touch of sharp beneath his voice as he turns to face Cloud properly. “Cloud genuinely. I. I’m not sure I’d be able to put it into proper words. What all this means for me. For my life. So thank you.”</p><p>Cloud shifts. Eyes darting down and away. Tucks in on himself, just a little. Bracing one foot on the cushions to curl his arms around his leg. There’s something far away in his eyes. Distant. Maybe a little worrying, but lessened at least a bit by the focus in them.</p><p>“Sure. I-”</p><p>There’s a scream from upstairs. Young and <em>terrified</em>. Cloud’s on his feet and through the partition before Andrea even really registers it. When it does his heart pounds sharp in his chest like a jagged edge of glass as he drags himself up and follows. Cloud’s already dipping out of sight by the time Andrea makes it to the bottom of the steps.</p><p>The screams haven’t stopped.</p><p>If anything, they get worse.</p><p>The landing is dark as Andrea hits it, only distant street light from outside filtering in through the window, barely enough to mark the edges of walls and doorways so he doesn’t trip over them. It’s a straight shot from the top of the stairs to the kids wide open bedroom door. Darker still in there, lit by the barely there light of the moon and the glint of Cloud’s eyes from where he’s at Denzel’s bedside.</p><p>“Denzel hey- <em>hey.</em>”</p><p>The poor boy’s apparently gotten himself all twisted up. Trapped and struggling beneath the confines of the heavy blanket Cloud’d tugged over him earlier. There’s a <em>thwak</em> of skin on skin and a quiet heartbreak in Cloud's low voice as he speaks again over the child’s near manic cries.</p><p>“It’s okay buddy. It’s okay, wake up-”</p><p>“Get off me!”</p><p>There’s another thump, a shout- this time from Marlene- and it’s enough to snap Andrea out of it. Feeling along the wall to his right where he’s certain he remembers the light switch being. Finds it after a horrible moment of fumbling and flicks it on. Lighting up the awful tableau.</p><p>The girl’s on her knees on the bed. Huge, watery brown eyes staring with worry and heartache to where Cloud and Denzel are. The sound Andrea’d heard becomes evident. One of Denzel’s hands is caught in Cloud’s, too close to the blond’s eye. The auburn haired boy’s staring at his guardian. Face pale and streaked with tears. His other hand clamped tight against his head, just beneath his messy bangs. Breathing too hard and too quick, but there’s an awful kind of awareness bleeding back into his dark eyes. Just beneath the shock.</p><p>“C-Cloud...?”</p><p>“...Yeah.” Cloud replies after a heartbeat or two of painful silence. A rough note to his voice that makes something in Andrea ache. “Yeah, ‘s just me.”</p><p>“I-I thought-”</p><p>Cloud grimaces. The expression painful. Shutters it all again between one breath and the next as he shakes his head. Reaches out with a hesitance that somehow hurts worst of all. Brushes at the hand Denzel has clapped to his forehead. Tugs it down with that same tender strength Andrea cherishes- yet hates at this moment.</p><p>“It’s gone, okay?” Cloud’s voice is almost<em> too</em> even. A careful, quiet modulation in the lingering gloom that seems so at odds with the light now filling the room. “And it’s not coming back.”</p><p>A chill runs down Andrea’s spine. Sudden and sharp as the awful piece clicks sharply into place. They must be talking about Geostigma. His heart had hurt for the poor boy the very first time he’d ever heard of Denzel’s nightmares. With the fact he’d been stricken with the horrifying illness.</p><p>Now it threatens to break, under the weight of this innocent soul still suffering in the wake of it’s passing.</p><p>There’s something more to it, Andrea’s sure of that. Something that’s put that knife’s edge tension back into Cloud’s shoulders. The set of his spine. The careful blank mask of his face. Something equally painful in the twist of Denzel’s. The shivers still ripping through his thin frame.</p><p>“I-I’m sorry.” He stammers, but Cloud cuts him off near immediately.</p><p>“It’s okay.” Cloud’s eyes flicker to Andrea. Makes the dancer stand straight beneath the weight in them. “You mind gettin’ him downstairs?”</p><p>“Not at all.” Andrea replies immediately. Takes a step into the room. Denzel’s still staring at Cloud. Deep blue eyes swimming and hurt. He pries himself out of the tangle of blankets. Squirms off the mattress and hits the ground in a slap of bare feet. Tears past Cloud and Andrea both with a faint stumble. Andrea turns, reaches to catch the poor kid, but Denzel’s too quick. Darts out of his range and down the stairs.</p><p>“You okay, Marlene?” Cloud asks, hovering uncertain in the lane between the kid’s beds. Marlene’s shoulders hunch a moment. Hands tiny fists against the sheets. But she looks at Cloud with sad, <em>sad</em> eyes. Nods.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Try and get back to sleep then, okay?”</p><p>“Okay Cloud.” Marlene shifts, reaching to take the carbuncle plushie Cloud plucks back up off the floor. Hugs it close as she wiggles under the covers Cloud pulls back and tucks gently back around her shoulders. “’Night.”</p><p>“Night kiddo.” Cloud replies softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face as she ducks her head. The hesitant pain at the way he draws back and away from her. Hovers at the girl’s bedside a moment or two more.</p><p>Andrea slips away to look for Denzel as he’d said. Finds him downstairs,</p><p>God the poor boy still looks absolutely stricken. Pale and weary and shaken. Eyes glassy as he hugs his knees close to his chest in the corner. Enough to damn near break Andrea’s heart all over again.</p><p>Nightmares certainly weren’t an uncommon thing in the undercity. Certainly not within the Inn, though Andrea tried to mitigate and prevent them as much as he could. Things always seeped through the cracks.</p><p>He pauses just at the edge of the table nearest Denzel. Pulls on a careful smile when the boy’s reddened eyes dart to him.</p><p>“May I join you?”</p><p>It’s relief on multiple levels that the boy nods. Andrea eases down on the bench too. Keeping a careful, respectful distance from the distressed child. Denzel sniffles. Sounding miserable and upset. Andrea wonders how much is from the nightmare and how much was from...whatever that odd look on Cloud’s face had meant.</p><p>“Nightmares are rather terrible things, aren’t they?” Andrea keeps his voice quiet. Low. Trying not to pry because he doesn’t want to drag Denzel back to whatever dark corners had caused such awful distress. The boy flinches. Sniffs. Nods. “Lately I’ve been dealing with quite the bad batch of them myself.”</p><p>“...what’re yours about...?”</p><p>“I don’t really know.” Andrea replies lightly. Catches the wet glint of Denzel’s gaze as they dart towards him. So Andrea continues. “I...often find myself alone in a dark place. And in the distance sometimes I can see things. Hear things. Strange colors and shapes. Always feels like being trapped.”</p><p>“Sounds scary.”</p><p>“It is.” Andrea agrees quietly. Happy to adopt both Cloud and Tifa’s manor of honesty towards these darling young souls. “And being scared by them- or other things- is only natural. It’s okay. But I think remembering that we’re not alone, is important too.”</p><p>Denzel flinches, tucking his knees closer to his chest. “I know.”</p><p>Andrea hums. Folding his hands against his stomach. Shifting to take a little more weight off his gently pulsing foot. “I also know I don’t like to dwell on them either. So. I do believe I owe you the rest of a certain story. Would you like me to continue, or shall we wait for another day?”</p><p>“You mean the one about Cloud...? In the Co-...Colla-”</p><p>Andrea chuckles and nods.</p><p>“Colosseum? Indeed.” His smile softens a little when the boy shifts a bit to face him. “We were just getting to the ‘good part’, if I recall. The Hell House, no?”</p><p>Denzel nods though there’s a frown on his face. “I still don’t get it. How’s a <em>house</em> scary?”</p><p>“Well you see, this was no ordinary house. If anything, it was more some horrible amalgamation of house and mechanical monster.”</p><p>“So...like a robot?”</p><p>“Of a kind, I suppose.” Andrea replies with a nod. Tapping a finger against his cheek. Eyes narrow as he thinks back to that night, oh so long ago now. “It was certainly autonomous. It had a great metal head with terrible, sharp teeth. Four arms and feet.”</p><p>“Weird.” Denzel said, nose wrinkling a little in consideration. Andrea chuckles. Can’t argue with that. That night Cloud and Aerth had appeared and swept the Colosseum hadn’t been the first time Andrea’d witnessed the Don pulling his ‘trump card’. An exceptionally rare thing all told, but each time the story had been the same</p><p>Right up until that very unexpected night.</p><p>“Indeed. But exceptionally dangerous.” Andrea replies. “Now, granted it wasn’t a very <em>big</em> house by most standards. In fact, it could’ve probably fit into this very room. Not even half that size, in width or length. Though the roof would’ve stretched to the second floor. But what it may have lacked in size, the Hell House certainly made up for in tricks.”</p><p>“Tricks?”</p><p>“Oh yes. Like explosive stuffed animals and burning chair projectiles.” Andrea says, with all the seriousness he can possibly muster. Schooling his face and voice. Hard to do when Denzel blinks at him. Surprise and confusion warring across his face.</p><p>“Wait. Seriously? Stuffies and <em>chairs</em>?”</p><p>“By the dozens. It’s a wonder they all fit within the thing.” “We were all very lucky that Cloud and Aerith were there to protect us that night. A crueller fate that death by exploding Mr. Cuddlesworth’s I can scarce imagine.”</p><p>The more time he gets to spend with Denzel and Marlene, the more Andrea thinks he’s come to realize just <em>why</em> Cloud gets that particular softness in his eyes just watching them. Listening to them chatter away or smile. Or just...be happy. It is its own brand of unique joy to watch Denzel’s still faintly reddened eyes light up. A smile cracking sudden and bright over his face, hand flying up in a poor attempt to stifle his laughter. Drags one flickering to life on Andrea’s face too, despite his best efforts to keep up his very serious front.</p><p>“No way! You’re just pulling my leg.” Denzel accuses him a moment later, brow furrowed. Mouth still twitching with a smile. Andrea shakes his head.</p><p>“It could even fly.”</p><p>Somehow that revelation just seems to stun Denzel even more. Charming in the way his eyes go huge and he sits up from his huddle entirely.</p><p>“What!?”</p><p>“I don’t really understand it myself, but it did have some sort of rocket system attached to it’s back. And near the end of it all, it started hovering around the arena. It’d swoop down and try to crush our dear fighters beneath it.”</p><p>“Whoa...” Denzel gazes off into the distance. Wonder bright on his face before he frowns again. Considering. “So...how <em>do</em> you fight a house anyway?”</p><p>“I haven’t the faintest idea.” Andrea says truthfully. To this day he doesn’t understand exactly how Cloud and Aerith had whittled away at Corneo’s great monstrosity. Flashes of metal and bursts of magic slowly chipping away at it. “But they did.”</p><p>“Yeah, but <em>how</em>.” Denzel presses and Andrea’s quick to realize that he’s not going to be getting out of this one quite so easy. Not that he wants to. Honestly more than happy to keep pushing back those awful shadows the nightmare and whatever else had left hovering like a shroud around the boy.</p><p>So he throws himself into his storytelling. Rewinds the metaphorical clock to lay out a grand picture. The stadium alive with the shouts and excited cries of the entranced audience. Who’d turned from cruel, callous jeers to believing in their new potential champions' success wholeheartedly. The gasps of awe and fright as the Hell House had emerged from the depths of the Colosseum. To the confusion of them all until Cloud and Aerith had battered the thing enough to make it rear its head- quite literally.</p><p>Funny, as he tells the grand tale, Andrea doesn’t find the need to embellish much, as he often does. No this particular triumph had been an epic all it’s own. Full of thrilling and daring feats. Of strength and wit. Close calls when the Hell House had nearly crushed Aerith into one of the walls before she darted away last minute. Of the thing attempting to swallow Cloud into the heinous void of it’s door. Only narrowly escaping when Aerith’d flung a great bolt of lightning to crash through one of it’s windows.</p><p>Andrea hadn’t realized he’d be able to recall so very much detail of that moment. Both surprised and not at how hard that night and it’s more...explosive moments have lingered in his head. Just waiting to be called back to memory.</p><p>Denzel sits enraptured beside him. Hanging on every word and cutting in with exclamations of surprise and skepticism. Grows quietly intent as Andrea draws his tale to a close.</p><p>“And just when we were certain it was over, The Hell House mustered one final attempt. This time however, it’s attention was not the fighters. I don’t know if it was simply malfunction or malice, but it sent a final volley of flaming chairs towards the stands. Packed full of innocent bystanders.” “But, as they had all the long fight, Cloud and Aerith thwarted it’s attempts. Aerith took care of the projectiles with grace and skill. And Cloud, well...” Andrea can’t stop the slightly cheeky smirk from crawling across his face. “I’m sure it’s no surprise he made straight for the source. Plunged that wicked blade of his right through the damn thing’s head and was away again before it all went up in flames.”</p><p>“Wow...”</p><p>“It was quite the spectacle.” Andrea agrees with a nod. Certain he hasn’t done that glorious sight quite enough justice. Doubts any amount of description could <em>ever</em> do Cloud all on his own justice- let alone that night. Those moments.</p><p>And all that before he’d ever stepped a foot onto Andrea’s stage.</p><p>“You’re pretty cool, Andi.” Denzel says, a grin playing on his face. Eyes far brighter and more alive than they’d been at the start. Andrea laughs. Returns the smile with a mock little half bow.</p><p>“Why thank you very much.”</p><p>It’s fun, coaxing Denzel into conversation. Even if it’s mostly just the boy asking questions. They chatter a few more minutes before Denzel seems to be a bit distracted.</p><p>“I wonder where—oh!” Denzel sits forward, a brief frown on his face as he leans to look past Andrea towards the door. “Hey Cloud.”</p><p>Andrea blinks. Twists to follow Denzel’s gaze and small wave. Finds Cloud leaning against the door frame. Arms folded easily over his chest, a checked blanket draped over them.. Weight settled on one leg. Wonders how long the other has been there. He seems better. Calmer. Something soft hovering at the edge of his expression. But there’s still a note of tension there. Of caution.</p><p>Cloud drops his posture and eases through the divide. Quiet, careful footfalls on the wooden floor. Tips his head, eyes soft and voice low as his gaze sweeps over Denzel.</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p>Denzel’s hands twist together. Toying with his fingers behind his knees. But he nods, meeting Cloud’s eyes.</p><p>“Yeah. Andi was telling me ‘bout how you guys met. At the Colosseum.”</p><p>“I heard.”</p><p>Andrea holds his hands up innocently beneath the scrutiny in Cloud’s briefly narrowed glance at him. Chuckling.</p><p>“That’s all.”</p><p>Cloud hums like he doesn’t quite buy it. Eyes turning back towards Denzel. Andrea catches one of Cloud’s hands flexing idly at his side.</p><p>“You wanna try bed again?” He asks the boy and clearly isn’t at all surprised at how quickly Denzel shakes his head. Neither’s Andrea. Not after the fright he had. Cloud just nods easily. Still that awful pain hovering just behind the dulled bright of his eyes. “Okay.”</p><p>Cloud offers the blanket to the boy and Denzel takes it with a quiet “Thanks.”</p><p>A moment later there’s the sound of the stairs again. The top of Marlene’s head only just visible before she peeks through the divide. A sheepish smile on her face when she looks at Cloud.</p><p>“I couldn’t sleep.”</p><p>Cloud sighs. Jerks his head and Marlene scurries over towards them. Clambers up to wedge herself right in alongside Denzel. The boy rolls his eyes, but is just as quick to offer her a share of the blanket. Marlene thanks him with a cheery, sleep edged smile. Snuggling down close against the boy’s side.</p><p>Cloud doesn’t join them for a while. Andrea’s not entirely sure where exactly he vanishes to. Heard some shuffling overhead and doors opening and closing. But for now his attentions forced to be where Cloud’d asked it to be. On the kids. Trading a few more stories for sleepy smiles and absent yawns. This time of some sillier, lighthearted moments at the Inn. Antics his dear Bee’s used to get up to. Funny ways they’d pass the time or make games out of preparing a show when motivation was falling due to exhaustion or the nature of their world.</p><p>Marlene ends up passed out against Andrea’s side first. No surprise. Imagines her claims of sleeplessness had been much more loneliness than anything. Blessedly Denzel’s not far behind her. Eases some of those lingering nerves buzzing about Andrea’s head to watch the boy drift off. Into a far more peaceful state than he’d been.</p><p>“Here.”</p><p>Andrea turns. Smiling when he finds Cloud and takes the offered nightcap. The dark amber drink pretty even in the low light.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>Cloud hums. Carefully easing along until he’s seated on the bench by Denzel. Andrea’s heart aches a bit at the obvious careful distance he maintains. Sips at his drink and enjoys the warmth that settles pleasant through him. Simple, but good. Especially for the night.</p><p>“Tifa’s gonna kill me when she gets back.” Cloud mutters around the edge of his glass. Andrea blinks, frowns.</p><p>“For what? Taking care of them?” Cloud shakes his head, but doesn’t explain. Andrea shifts. Laying his arm along the back of the bench and faces Cloud much as he can with the kid dozing against his leg. “Nightmares happen. They’re not your fault.”</p><p>The blond sighs, dropping his glass to rest it against his thigh. Rolling it absently. Watching the liquid slosh gently against the sides.</p><p>“There were these guys.”</p><p>Andrea’s attention jerks back to Cloud’s face when the young man’s voice sounds a few moments later. Something catching tight in his chest as he shakes his head.</p><p>“Cloud. You don’t need to tell me—”</p><p>“But you wanna know, right?”</p><p>“Only if you’re alright telling me.” Andrea replies, absolutely serious. His niggling curiosities and desire for answers mean nothing in the face of that...that awful, <em>awful</em> look that’d been on Cloud’s face. At the way Denzel’d pushed him away.</p><p>But Cloud just takes another tiny, careful sip of his drink. Eyes distant as he continues.</p><p>“They took him and Marlene. Bunch of other kids too.” His gaze darts down to the sleeping kids tucked between them. “I...I didn’t get there fast enough.”</p><p>The light in Cloud’s eyes, a mix of heartache and fondness, dies a shadowy death. Cloud’s expression shuttering. Hard and sharp as steel.</p><p>“Still don’t know what they did to ‘em. Denzel says he doesn’t remember it.”</p><p>Empathy. Frustration. Pain. All of that and more flickers too bright in Cloud’s gaze. Hovers like a storm front at the edge of his expression. Throws back the rest of his drink and sets the glass back on the table.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t know what to say. Doesn’t want to offer Cloud any meaningless platitudes. Not for something like this. Knows that the guilt Cloud feels from the time he was sick and left his family behind because of it, still sits like a stone around Cloud’s neck. Dragging at him.</p><p>Silence holds for a while. Almost too long. Broken only by the distant sounds of the house and the noises the kids make as they shift in their sleep. An engine outside that has Cloud perking up a bit. Somehow goes tense and lax all at once.</p><p>“She’s back.” He murmurs and sure enough a minute or two later there’s the sound of a key in the tumblers. The familiar cheery ring of the bell accompanying the gentle clack of Tifa’s heels as she slips through the door.</p><p>Andrea’s not sure if she’s surprised to see them all tucked up in the main room. Startled certainly, stops as her gaze lands on them. Enough to halt her next step. Then her pretty eyes narrow. Worried and gentle as she closes the door behind her with a soft click.</p><p>“Bad night?” She asks, coming over towards them. Dropping her purse on the table as she crouches down. Reaching out to brush hair from Marlene’s face tenderly. Reaches to tuck at Denzel’s bangs</p><p>“Nightmare.” Cloud replies, though it seems unneeded. Andrea can’t imagine there’s many other reasons for the kids to be out of bed so late at night. Tifa nods.</p><p>“We should probably get them back in bed now.”</p><p>“’kay.”</p><p>Nearly as one the two of them shift. Tifa carefully plucking Marlene up into her arms. The girl mumbling a little as she curls with instinctive sweetness into the young woman’s hold. Clear this is a very long held tradition. Cloud’s a bit more cautious getting Denzel up into his hold. Andrea eases himself up to, needing to stretch his legs while the little family vanishes upstairs. Wanders the space and winds up by one of the front windows. Cracking the blinds to peer out to the street beyond.</p><p>Not left alone on his own for long before the stairs are creaking once again. Glances over to see Cloud ducking out.</p><p>“You wanna crash here? Or I can take you home, if you’d rather.”</p><p>“If it’s alright, I certainly don’t mind staying.”</p><p>“C’mon then. Before you fall asleep down here.”</p><p>Andrea rolls his eyes but follows along obediently. Can’t deny that between the stress, the drink and hour he’s been yawning quite fantastically the last while. Grateful to accept the pyjamas Cloud presses into his chest. Ducking into the bathroom to get himself ready for sleep. Finds Cloud at his desk, lamp on and papers spread out before him. Looks back as the door clicks shut. Andrea braces his hands on his hips.</p><p>“Aren’t you coming to bed?” Andrea asks, eyeing the fact Cloud’s still dressed in the clothes he’s been in all evening. Comfortable sure. But not bed ready. Cloud shakes his head.</p><p>“In a bit. Got something I gotta take care of.”</p><p>“It can wait till morning, certainly.” Andrea says, perching on the edge of the bed. Reclining a bit. Tilting his head and patting the space beside him invitingly.</p><p>“Pretty sure it is morning.” Cloud replies evenly. Distant humour in his voice. Heading back across the room towards the door. Andrea sits up, not trying to hide the frown that settles on the corner of his lips. The edge to his voice.</p><p>“Cloud.”</p><p>“Won’t take long.” Cloud pauses, hand still on the doorknob of the open door. Glances back. A shadow smile hovering hesitant in the corner of his lips. Something darker in his eyes. Flicks. Then he slips away.</p><p>Andrea hovers. Torn. With a sigh settles properly on the bed. Clearly Cloud needs a moment to himself. Andrea can respect that. Thinks he hears the low murmur of voices just past the door. Bites back a yawn and shuffles a bit. Tucking an arm beneath the pillow to better support his head.</p><p>Waits.</p><p>The creak of floorboards- the stairs?- groaning soft in the dark, cool night air. Fights the clawing tendrils of sleep that threaten to drag him down every other blink. Harder to drag his eyes back open each time.</p><p>Waits...</p><p>Hears a strange sound. Like a thud beneath the floor. And beneath him is...the garage? Hard to think. To place himself. Exhaustion dragging at his bleary eyes. At his mind. At him.</p><p>Down into the dream. Alone as ever. Lost as ever. Confusing as ever. The roaring tear like thunder. The flash of acid green. Of fresh spilled blood. Silver and gold and it should be beautiful, but it makes Andrea’s skin crawl. Makes him feel cold and afraid.</p><p>Peels sore eyes open to the sight of Cloud asleep beside him. Perched uncomfortably right at the edge of the mattress. Facing Andrea, back to the door. Something too tense hovering in his face for his sleep to look peaceful. Dark circles beneath his eyes. Something oddly gaunt to his profile in the slow growing light.</p><p>Andrea wiggles an arm free of the gentle tangle of blankets around him. Dammit, why hadn’t Cloud woken him when he’d returned? Poor boy’s not even taken a corner of them for himself. Frowning to himself, Andrea reaches across the small gap between them. Brushes Cloud’s cheek with his fingers gently. Half expects the other to startle awake as he often does.</p><p>Can’t quite say it’s relief that settles inside him when that doesn’t happen.</p><p>Cloud almost flinches instead. Expression tense as a quiet groan rumbles out of him. A few too long moments before he pries his eyes open. The motion slow and heavy enough to look almost painful.</p><p>“Cloud...” Andrea murmurs. Not sure if it’s a greet or admonishment. Fond or fretful. Doesn’t like that the uncertainty doesn’t change even as Cloud’s eyes flit to him.</p><p>“Hey.” Cloud says, a rough edge to his voice. Andrea sighs. Shifts his hand down to curl against Cloud’s upper arm. Tugging to coax the other closer. Thankfully Cloud lets him, shifting over to tuck against Andrea. Burrowing into the warmth of him and the blanket Andrea tosses over him. Keeps his arm looped around Cloud in turn just to keep him close. Dips his head to nuzzle into the boy’s mess of hair.</p><p>“Should’ve woken me up when you got back.” Andrea mumbles, half a complaint in the back of his words. Rubbing his hand along Cloud’s back and shoulders. Thankfully he doesn’t seem <em>too</em> chilled. Though Andrea’d more chalk that up to them being on the cusp of summer in a few weeks than anything. Cloud hums in response, the sound absent from where he’s tucked into Andrea’s neck.</p><p>“Looked comfy.”</p><p>Andrea sighs, rolling his eyes in fond annoyance. “Would’ve been more so if I’d had you to snuggle with.”</p><p>“Doin’ that now, right?”</p><p>Well, well. Someone’s in a mood this morning. Andrea huffs into Cloud hair and pushes into him. Rolling them till Cloud’s on his back. Cocooned by the blanket and Andrea. The dancer pulling back enough to see that pretty face. Smiles at the way Cloud’s peeking up at him with lidded, lazy eyes.</p><p>“I <em>suppose</em>...” Andrea drawls, bracing one arm on the bed. Reaches the other up to brush at Cloud’s hair. Dipping down to nudge Cloud’s nose with his own. Smiling when Cloud tilts his head. Letting Andrea tilt his to kiss him. Tender brushes and slow, gentle suction. A low hum hovering in his chest. Echoed quietly by Cloud.</p><p>Cloud’s hands settle on his chest. Fingers curling lightly into the loose folds of his shirt. Keeping the dancer close as they shift minutely together. Pressing close and drifting apart in some unspoken rhythm. Shifting and ‘fitting’ together in a way that has Andrea smiling into that pretty mouth. Almost too hard to keep it up. Drifts back when Cloud grumbles at him.</p><p>“Seems quiet out there.” Andrea combs absent fingers through Cloud’s hair. Attention half perked towards the hall. But he hasn’t heard anyone. Not Tifa or the kids stirring. Just a lingering peaceful quiet.</p><p>“Mm. Saturday after all. No school to worry about.” Cloud replies, one of his hands dragging up to thumb at the pulse in his neck. “Giving ‘em a chance to sleep in now and then ain’t bad.”</p><p>Andrea hums, nodding. “True enough. Want to follow their lead...?”</p><p>“Nah. ‘m good.” Cloud replies with a shake of his head. Tips his head with a sweetly curious look hovering soft on his face. “You?”</p><p>“Oh I’m perfectly happy as is.” Andrea says, dropping himself down closer to nuzzle against the side of Cloud’s face. Cloud huffs at him, arms sliding down and around Andrea. Running along the lines of his back. Smiling at the gentle pressure, the dancer traces slow, meandering kisses along Cloud’s cheek and jaw.</p><p>Andrea’s not entirely sure how long they lay there. Tangled together. But it doesn’t feel like all that long before Cloud’s hands still against him. All of Cloud shifting towards an oddly tense kind of stillness. Andrea blinks an eye open to peer at the boy. Peeking up from where he’d been happily curled into the warmth of Cloud’s neck, breathing in that unique scent. The touch of mako on his skin sharper than usual. Odd since Andrea knows it’s been near a week since Cloud’s latest job for Shinra.</p><p>“Are you alright?” Andrea asks, voice a gentle, prodding murmur as he shifts back up to look down at the blond. Cloud’s expression flickers. Eyes dropping. Drifting. Hovering on the edge of that haze he gets when he’s far away in his own head. Andrea’s heart twists. “Cloud?”</p><p>Andrea shifts his hand up, curling it against the other side of his face. Sweeping his thumb slow along the edge of Cloud’s eye. Against the soft, bruised skin there. Cloud lets out a breath. Too careful. Eyes drifting shut as a shadow of tension passes brief across his expression. The smallest shake of his head before he leans into Andrea’s hand.</p><p>“Just tired.” He murmurs against the heel of Andrea’s hand. And it isn’t that Andrea doubts he’s tired. Of course not. But he also doesn’t believe for a moment that he’s ‘just’ anything. So he puts a bit more pressure behind his touch. Just enough to shift Cloud into looking back up at him. Something surprised flicking in his eyes.</p><p>“You don’t have to tell me, if you don’t want to. But please, don’t—” Andrea cuts himself off carefully. ‘Lie’ seems like too sharp a word, for the quiet, warm stillness of the morning. So he fumbles a moment to soften it. “Don’t try to hide when you’re not well. I know I really ought to be the last person telling you that, given my recent behaviour...” Another brief spark of well deserved guilt for how far Andrea’d allowed himself to sink. But he steels himself against it. Lets it settle into it’s sharp edged place in his soul and meets Cloud’s gaze firmly. “But, I will endeavour to do better. For both our sakes. And I don’t want you hiding your hurts from me, Cloud. Please?”</p><p>Cloud’s brow twists. Sharp with upset. Eyes dropping again, but there’s far more sense to the motion than a moment ago.</p><p>“...Sorry.”</p><p>“You don’t need to be. I understand.” God does he. But as he’d said- a promise without promise- Andrea’s going to be better. And he’s going to be here for Cloud. Whatever may come. “Is there anything I can do...?”</p><p>Andrea’s not surprised when Cloud shakes his head. But he is, just a little, when the blond’s arms tighten around him. Pulling him back down firmly against the other as Cloud’s face vanishes into his shoulder. Admits he’s a little worried by the shift. By the hot rush of breath he can feel through the borrowed shirt.</p><p>“No.” Cloud’s voice is a low, careful rumble against him. Soft as the morning shadows clinging about the corners of the room. Fading into daylight warmth. “You’re enough.”</p><p>Andrea’s hand spasms against the sheets. A lightning bolt shock of too much crashing right through the centre of his chest. Catches the breath tight in his lungs. Eyes stinging a moment before he blinks it away. Presses trembling lips hard against the crown of Cloud’s head. Breathes and breathes until he’s certain his voice isn’t going to shake too.</p><p>“As are you, my darling Cloud.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>They do, eventually, have to rise to greet the new day. Carefully extracting themselves from the warm tangle of limbs and blankets they’d gotten wrapped up in. Their feet touching the cool floor in time to the creak of steps just outside the door. The bright sound of both kid’s voices mixing with the warmth of Tifa’s.</p><p>Andrea takes the offer of sticking around for breakfast quite happily. No real plans today except getting home and packing for the long awaited trip out to Wutai. They leave early Monday morning and Andrea wants to take tomorrow to wrap up any last minute necessities. He’s set himself a weeks worth of time- how he’d wrangled it out of Narissa’s hands he has<em> no</em> idea, but he’s not given to complain about it. Both his Flowers and Weeds have been left in the joint care of Maise and Claude for the time being.</p><p>It’s nearly noon by the time he and Cloud load up onto Fenrir and shuttle off. Cloud’s sweet enough to drop Andrea off at the corner store, needs to pick up at least a few things to get through today and tomorrow. Even offers to drive Andrea back home, but Andrea just waves the offer away with a smile. He’d heard the quiet promises exchanged of some ‘park time’ or some such between bites earlier. And he’d be loathe to get in the way of what’s some very obviously needed time together.</p><p>So with a hesitance that’s all too thoughtful, Cloud leaves Andrea to his own devices. Whisking away quick as he’d gotten them there and thankfully before Andrea succumbs to the urge to kiss him.</p><p>Andrea flits through the store for nearly half an hour. Doesn’t need much at all, but he does wind up picking a few things up for the trip. Like small ‘travel sizes’ necessities. It’s fun and thrilling all at the same time. To realize that only a day or two now sits between him and the moment he’s waited for all this time. For what feels like damn near all his life.</p><p>Freedom sits on the horizon.</p><p>Humming absent to himself, Andrea twists to rifle for his keys as he turns onto the walkway up to his apartment. The silver glinting in the warm afternoon sunshine merrily as he hooks the loop around one finger. Twirling it lightly as he glances up.</p><p>Nearly drops it as a bolt of something icy lances into his gut. Freezing him in place.</p><p>His door’s sitting cracked open.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Tumbling Into Place</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Avasti is a wonderful, beautiful, incredible person- and the newly introduced Beatrix belongs to them <em> chef kiss</em> Thank you <em>forever</em> for all you do Avi &lt;3</p>
<p>As ever, thank you to the Rhife Discord for puttin' up with my wailing xP</p>
<p>CW this go around is...pretty much the usual lately. Andi has a not-very-fun time at all panic I'd say from about the time he gets into the apartment till him and Cloud are in the bedroom the first time. But with little hints of it continuing throughout the chapter. So heads up for that- as ever, if you'd like a summary of events, lemme know and I'll pop it in the endnotes! Other than that there is a mention of a minor character's death. Nothing graphic, save a brief blood mention. &lt;3 </p>
<p>Take care of yourselves lovlies and thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Andrea’s mind whirls. Spinning in place like it’s stuck in viscous mud. Walks himself backwards through his head. Knows he remembered to lock his door. Always has ever since he was a child. A vainglory hope. Placebo effect or what have you. Knowing if someone wanted in, there’s nothing that could stop them. Especially back in the Market. Those who want to take will take.</p>
<p>He feels that he’s lost quite enough. Refuses to lose more, not hovering on the cusp of getting his life back.</p>
<p>Dropping both his bags to the ground, well out of the way in case he has to make a quick get away. Only taking enough time to fish out his phone. Steps carefully towards the door. Sees the way the frame has been damaged. Entry obviously forced.</p>
<p>Shit.</p>
<p>Steels himself as he pushes the door open. Wincing as it creaks. Wishing in the back of his mind that he still had that pistol Leslie’d lent him. A chance that whoever’s responsible for this could still be lurking around.</p>
<p>But the apartment is silent. Still and quiet despite the air of <em>wrongness</em> hovering in the air. Something like stale alcohol too.</p>
<p>From the moment he steps over the threshold he sees why.</p>
<p>The place is torn apart. The hall closet open and the things inside strewn across the small entry hall. Picks his way over the mess to find the living room in a similar disarray. Couch and chair pushed out of place and cushions strewn about the floor. Kitchen cabinets thrown open. Not much broken, at least at first glance, but a few things. Shards of glass and ceramic scattered over the countertops and floor.</p>
<p>Andrea takes in the destruction with a distant, growing sort of horror. Puts the hairs on the back of his neck straight on end. Because sure, he could chalk it all up some vandal. But the nature of it all, the way the place has been torn apart speaks of something...more. Like whomever it had been was searching for something.</p>
<p>A mere step out of the kitchen Andrea pauses. Hovering in place. Face creased with concentration and shadows. The timing of all this feels too...calculated. His mind spinning. Too slow and yet too fast. Remembers the odd static calls the last while.</p>
<p>There’s only one reason—one <em>person—</em> he can even begin to imagine paying that sort of attention to him.</p>
<p>Shit. Shit, shit, <em>shit—</em></p>
<p>He’s across the room and in his bedroom before he realizes it. A brief glance towards his dresser to spy his jewellery box. Still there, still intact if scattered in a smear of gold, silver and color. Sinks quiet anger twined with horror into his gut. More evidence to add the pyre. This was no accident. No random ‘hit’. Whoever it was was after something.</p>
<p>Ice creeps like a corpse’s fingers down his spine as Andrea heads for the closet. Hoping against all hope that he won’t find what he fears. Digs down through the mess of misplaced clothing and other such things. Down and deeper into the lightless void of the closet. Mind a frantic mess of <em>please </em>and desperate curses.</p>
<p>“Dammit. Goddammit, no. <em>No</em>!”</p>
<p>Andrea throws himself back. Shoulders and rising with hard, harsh breaths as he buries his face in his hands.</p>
<p>The folder’s gone. Every scrap of information they’ve pulled together the last few years and beyond- <em>gone</em>.</p>
<p>Should’ve trusted his gut. Should’ve kept all of it with him always. Especially so close to the end. Peace and success making him too damn complacent. Knows beyond doubt now exactly who’s responsible. Thought he was safe with the rat a literal world away.</p>
<p><em>You know better Andi. Aren’t ever going to be </em>safe<em>—</em></p>
<p>Andrea’s rolling back onto his feet. Dragging his phone out with hands he won’t let shake- yet are. He needs to contact Claude, Lucia, the others. Needs to let them know to be careful. To watch their backs. That he’s failed them—again. They’re smart and strong and lived through the damn end of the world. But it's a simple fact underground. It doesn’t matter how strong or clever you are, in the Don’s game you can’t ever win—</p>
<p>There’s a crunch beneath his shoe and Andrea jerks. Glancing down to the floor to see a glint of shattered green on the floor and his heart lurches hard into his throat. It’s the vase— or at least what used to be the vase. His rose’s vase and oh god <em>where is it—</em></p>
<p>Andrea’s heart pounds. Blood and body somehow cold and hot all at once. His eyes tearing along the air, the floor. Searching for that familiar, beautiful red shade.</p>
<p>Ridiculous. Ridiculous that <em>this</em> is what has him cracking at the seams. That this is what has his vision blurring. Making it hard to catch his breath around the stone sitting too heavy in his chest.</p>
<p>But Andrea can’t make himself stop. Can’t get himself to just <em>calm down</em>. Can’t with his eyes catching on the wreck and ruin of everything around him. If his rose is gone too- destroyed or <em>worse—</em>he-. He’s not sure he’ll be able to stand it.</p>
<p>If anything, standing seems to be an increasingly tall order in general. His heart pounds harder and harder every moment that passes and he can’t seem to find it. His mind a frantic hum. Digging through the hints. Through the damage. The anxiety bubbling like molten shards of glass through Andrea’s stomach.</p>
<p>His knees quake and he lets them drop him. Hasn’t had any luck above, so below it is. Fitting he supposes. Scrabbling on the ground through the wreck and ruin. Barely remembers to be careful of the glass scattered about as he reaches beneath the table. Doesn’t really care at the moment if he gets cut. He just needs to find it. He has to. He must—</p>
<p>It’s a jolt to his heart. Electric warmth. Not quite relief when his fingers brush against something. Fingers desperate yet gentle, he curls them around a lean, faintly uneven protrusion. Careful as he draws it out. The whole of the world and his focus narrowing as first comes the dark green stem. Heart trembling too quick in his throat. Echoing in time to the silent pleas marching through his mind like ants.</p>
<p>Everything in him stilling, tensing. Then releasing in a choked, shaking breathe as he drags the head of the rose out into the light and finds it intact. He rocks back to sit, curling in on himself and around the rose as he draws it to his chest.</p>
<p>“There you are.” He murmurs. Tracing waxy petals with trembling fingertips. Checking and rechecking. Proving to himself over and over that it’s safe. “There you are—”</p>
<p>Ridiculous. Ridiculous it’s just a flower. Just a selfish wish. So many other infinitely more important things he should be thinking of. Be doing. He needs to be up, be moving. There isn’t time, not if that scum-sucking rat <em>bastard</em> has those files. Has every piece of <em>everything</em> Andrea’s built and worked towards in his vile hands.</p>
<p>Some high noise rattles into the air. Takes a moment for Andrea to realize it’s coming from him. It rings like struck crystal in his ears. Hurls him back in his head. Back and back until he’s sitting on his mother’s floor. The room torn into a similar state of disarray and her body under a sheet, already darkening in places with her blood. That same deep red as the rose. Keeping vigil and only allowed the space and the time to do so because of who she’d been. Because it was the middle of the goddamn night and come morning she’d be gone and the room cleaned and repurposed. Everything she was, everything she’d built for herself, for them, for this place, gone. To be filled once more with voices and bodies and it makes him want to wretch—</p>
<p>Dispute with a client, they’d said. Always a risk everyone knew. Always a risk. Not the first time. Not the last—at least not in the Garden. All Andrea could think of at the time was how...stupid it all seemed. That those from out there, from above, would come down just to snuff out what little light there was. Can barely think over the sounds of his poor little brother wailing softly against his shoulder.</p>
<p>
  <em>Why? Why, why, why—</em>
</p>
<p>That night’d been the first time he <em>really</em> met Don Corneo. Seen him at a distance before and near always blocked or spirited away by his mother or the others. Fervent whispers of “<em>Stay away from him, little honeybee.</em>” ringing through his mind as the man’d barged into the room.</p>
<p>Andrea didn’t listen.</p>
<p>He should’ve.</p>
<p>Shouldn’t have danced right into those hands stained with his mother’s blood. Hadn’t known. Hadn’t found the truth until it was way too late.</p>
<p>
  <em>Mama, I’m sorry—</em>
</p>
<p>“—ea!”</p>
<p>Heavy foot falls snap Andrea back to the present. His head jerking out, hand curling to cover the rose in a protective cradle against his chest still. His mind lagging a few steps behind. Fully expects for the figure bursting in to be the sewer rat. With his disgusting grin, ear grating laugh, knowing he’s won because he always does.</p>
<p>But it’s not.</p>
<p>It’s Cloud</p>
<p>Cloud with his weapon drawn at his side. His eyes bright and <em>dangerous</em>. Dark fury painted heavy in the crease of his brow and the snarl of his mouth. Looks ready to fight. To destroy. Andrea ought to tell him it’s already done. Everything crumbled around him. Lying shattered on the ground.</p>
<p>“Andrea—”</p>
<p>There’s a crunch of glass and a rustle of cloth as Andrea’s vision’s swarmed instead by the heather-grey shirt and dark wash jeans Cloud’d thrown on this morning. By blond mussed hair and impossible eyes. Shifting out of anger to worry. Sunlight peeking out from behind the storm.</p>
<p>“What happened? Are you hurt?”</p>
<p>Even as he asks it, Cloud’s looking him over. Wide eyes and gentle, careful hands sliding all along him. A flicker of something on his face as his attention drops towards Andrea’s chest. Ah. The rose. Silly how it seems too hard to move it away from him so Cloud can paw at his front. The touch is grounding. Helps Andrea anchor himself to the present properly again. Mind snapping back into place. Takes a moment to unstick his words from his rough throat.</p>
<p>“I’m fine.” He manages after a moment. Gets those sharp, blue-green eyes flashing to his. Something concerned and unconvinced in them. “They weren’t here when I got back.”</p>
<p>“The hell you are.” Cloud cuts in and it takes a moment for Andrea to parse what he means. About being ‘fine’. And...well. Andrea’s not sure he wants to argue that one. Not when he knows Cloud’s right. Let’s the other get him back on his feet and shuffled across the room. Perched down in his chair as Cloud rests a firm, steady hand on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“Hang on a minute, okay? I’m gonna check the perimeter and get things locked down. Stay here.”</p>
<p>With that Cloud vanishes again and Andrea has to stop himself from reaching for the other. To stop him, to bring him back. Turns his attention back to his rose. Back to himself. Tucks the petals up to his nose, wishing not for the first time it’d kept that entrancing smell. Wonders if it’d help clear his head at all. Aid in ragging himself more and more back in hand. Focusing on what he needs to do. Needs to focus on. Here and now. To <em>try</em> not to lose anything else.</p>
<p>With a heavy, shaking sigh, Andrea lets his head drop back against the chair. Closes his eyes and just. Hovers in his head.</p>
<p>The whole world feels tilted on its axis. An approximation of the fear and anxiety that’d followed after Meteorfall. Leaves him feeling slightly dizzy and out of place. God, he hates it. Hates that after all this time Corneo can reduce him to this.</p>
<p>It drags a fierce scowl onto his face. Frustrated at himself and how shaken this has him. He’s stronger than this. Better than this. Lived all his life under that rat’s shadow. Built up armor and masks to shield himself from feeling this way.</p>
<p>So why can’t Andrea reach any of them?</p>
<p>Why does this feel like such a violation compared to everything else...? Is it just the time and distance away from Wall Market? The fact he’s felt so damn close to finally shedding that awful veneer once and for all?</p>
<p>Distantly he catches the sounds of the world beyond his broken door. A few minutes later Cloud’s return heralded by heavy boot falls and the thunk of the door and something heavier. A weight settling on his arm and Andrea drags his focus back. Looks to Cloud’s serious expression. Feels like the other’s looking right through him. Andrea wonders absently what it is Cloud sees in this moment. Or perhaps a better question is <em>who</em>?</p>
<p>“You think it was Corneo.”</p>
<p>It’s not a question. No more than it is a question in Andrea’s mind.</p>
<p>“His lackeys more like.” Andrea replies with a weary nod.</p>
<p>“Do you wanna call this off for now?”</p>
<p>The very idea sinks like a blade into Andrea’s lungs. Sends him lurching up in his seat. Startles Cloud back a step in the process.</p>
<p>“No.” Andrea says. Short and sharp. Eyes wide. “No. Not now. I won’t be scared off. I refuse.”</p>
<p>“That’s not—”</p>
<p>“My <em>family</em> is in danger now, Cloud. Because of my negligence.” Admitting it aloud is painful. More than. But necessary. The damage is done and he has to mitigate what he can of it. “I will <em>not</em> allow him to threaten them again. To control me—” Andrea barely remembers himself in time to stop from crushing the stem of the rose in hand. His other hand curling into a shaking fist on the arm of the chair. The thought sickens him to his core. Frightens him— “I <em>won’t</em>.”</p>
<p>“Andrea...”</p>
<p>The weight of Cloud’s hand settles on Andrea’s knee as the blond stoops. Dropping to crouch before Andrea’s chair so the dancer’s looking at him again. There’s a horrifying level of empathy—of genuine <em>understanding</em>—in those eyes.</p>
<p>“I’m not asking you to. But I...” Cloud’s gaze flickers. Drops briefly from Andrea’s, a frown hovering at the edge of his mouth. In the shadows on his brow. His hand squeezes against Andrea’s knee briefly as his attention flickers back. “I don’t want you rushing into this and getting yourself hurt. We need a different approach if he knows we’re coming.”</p>
<p>Andrea blinks. A quiet noise in the back of his throat. Something startled and a touch jagged.</p>
<p><em>We</em>.</p>
<p>The word sticks in Andrea’s mind. He hadn’t thought that Cloud would leave him on his own for this. Though realizing that fact shakes something in him. A knot in his chest and a burn behind his eyes. And yet some small tension in him loosens in turn.</p>
<p>Strange. He’s never really dealt with Corneo alone, at least not <em>technically</em>. Always had the support of others, even if only distantly. A distance he himself cultivated and maintained, even from his Bees.</p>
<p>As always, it’s something about Cloud that makes it all feel so <em>different</em>.</p>
<p>“Lemme call in some favours. We’ll figure this out.”</p>
<p>“Cloud.” Andrea breathes. Voice a touch too rough. Has to clear his throat to keep it form wavering. Drops his hand to cover Cloud’s still resting against his knee. Squeezes tight. “...Thank you.”</p>
<p>Cloud nods, hovering just a moment more before he pushes up, twisting to dig his phone from his pocket. Heads off through the apartment in a low murmur of voices and distantly familiar names.</p>
<p>Right. Right, enough of this. Enough wallowing he needs to do something. Anything. Easiest thing for now is turning to his phone. Starting up a fresh group message to every one of his people he’s in contact with still. Pleading with them to watch their backs and to pass it on to any he can’t reach. Claude and Lucia and a few of the others seem more worried about him than anything. But he waves off their concerns and they thankfully largely let it drop. Promises exchanged on all corners to be careful.</p>
<p>The Madame is, of course, less than impressed when he sends her a far more private message. But, like him, she knows well the lengths to which the Don will go for anything. And she seems pleased Andrea’s not stopping at the very least. Andrea admits himself surprised by the fact that she’s willing to be so gung-ho about it all despite the setback. Though, as she’d said, what really do they have to lose at this point?</p>
<p><em>A lot</em>. The still fragile part of his mind whispers treacherously. Harder still to deny that when Cloud makes his reappearance. That quiet storm front of anger and something more shadowing his face. Lifts, just a touch as he looks to Andrea.</p>
<p>“Got us a few extra hands. And hopefully a tight enough net he can’t slip through.” He says by way of explanation. Andrea nods. He hopes that too. Beyond just about anything. Cloud steps back over to his side. Hovering. “You...wanna try and clean the place up at all?”</p>
<p>“I don’t even know where to start.” Andrea says, laughing without humour as he massages his temple with his free hand. Eye still stinging. Chest still tight. Cloud’s expression pinches finely. Drags his eyes along Andrea before he nods, almost to himself.</p>
<p>“Just a sec.”</p>
<p>Cloud darts off again. Andrea can hear him in the kitchen. The crack of his boots against the ground and the rattle of dishes. Andrea can’t drag his attention away from the rose. Still clutched in his hand. His other dropping to stroke the waxy petals. Eyes the small spots of decay that mark it here and there. Still one of the prettiest things he’s ever seen. And the fact it’d escaped this invasion unscathed does at least something to settle the buzzing humming through him.</p>
<p>Selfish. Selfish and foolish.</p>
<p>“Here.”</p>
<p>Andrea tears his eyes away from the bud and looks up. Blinks and finds something of a smile hovering on his lips when he spies the glass Cloud’s holding out in offering. That quiet, too sweet concern lingering on his face.</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Andrea murmurs. Reaching out to take it and gently setting stem inside the tall glass. Forces himself up off the chair again to return it to its place on the table. Well. That’s one thing mostly set right. Nothing to do except...keep going.</p>
<p>Cloud trails him. Silent, but apparently fully willing to throw himself into the inane task of trying to piece Andrea’s life back together again. They start in the hall and Andrea sees Cloud’s dropped some sort of heavy square chest on this side of the door to keep it closed. Andrea can already feel the headache starting. Contacting the landlord. Getting the door and locks replaced. The keys too. God it’s enough to be overwhelming.</p>
<p>So. One thing at a time, instead.</p>
<p>And right now that’s picking up the scattered jackets, scarves and shoes out of the entry hall. Hooking them back over hangers or folding up those who’s hangers were busted on the small wire shelf above it.</p>
<p>Quiet hovers between them, and while Andrea wouldn’t say it’s comfortable, it’s...nice, not being alone with his thoughts. Thoughts that are slowly clicking properly into place as they work through the mess.</p>
<p>The timing's too convenient. Too purposeful. Which means Corneo’s likely had eyes on him for a while. The thought’s unnerving, but it’s hardly the first time he’s been under such scrutiny. It was all just part of the twisted game they all played a part in down in Wall Market. Nothing new, but the absence of it has certainly worn down the near flawless armour Andrea’d girded himself up in over the years. Leaves him feeling wrung out and exhausted.</p>
<p>It’s only once they’ve moved into the living room again that something clicks in the back of Andrea’s mind. Turns to where Cloud’s stooped over, picking up a few of the scattered novels that’d been unshelved.</p>
<p>“I thought you were supposed to be with the kids?”</p>
<p>“’s fine. “ Cloud replies near immediately. Andrea frowns, carefully folding the throw blanket he’s found back over his arm. Tries for a smile, but it feels shaky.</p>
<p>“Cloud. I don’t want to keep you from them. I can handle things here---”</p>
<p>“Not leaving you on your own.” Cloud retorts immediately. Shoving a few of the books back on the shelf with perhaps more force than necessary. “Not after this.”</p>
<p>“I sincerely doubt they’ll return—”</p>
<p>“You don’t know that.”</p>
<p>There’s that same quiet fury burning in Cloud’s eyes as his attention jerks to Andrea. Intense and it stuns Andrea to silence. Hovers in the air between them. Not tense, but something close. Whatever it is, it sits too long. Sees Cloud waver beneath it, just a moment. His gaze dropping from Andrea’s. A sigh gently sinking his shoulders.</p>
<p>“Look. I...” Cloud’s hand clenches briefly by his side. “I’ll leave if that’s what you want. But—”</p>
<p>“That’s not what I meant.” Andrea cuts in. Probably pathetic, that the idea of being alone right now makes Andrea near as sick as the violation of his space. The theft. But, “But I don’t want to keep you from them.”</p>
<p>“You’re not.” Cloud says, a look on his face that says the very idea’s ridiculous. There’s a softer tilt to him this time though as he turns to fully face Andrea again. “I’m here cuz I wanna be.”</p>
<p>Apparently Cloud deems that the end of it. Shoving the couch back into place again before ducking around it to head for the kitchen. Calls back over his shoulder.</p>
<p>“I got in here.”</p>
<p>Andrea blinks after him. Startled, yet touched all at once. Feels a flicker of a smile tug at the corner of his mouth. Honestly this boy...it’s almost too much. So Andrea tucks it back heads off to at least make an attempt at the bedroom. Distantly he can hear the sounds of Cloud sweeping up the glass and the like from the kitchen.</p>
<p>Rubbing at his temples, Andrea chides himself. Enough procrastinating. Nothing’s going to get started, let along finished, with him just. Standing around. Gawking and shaken all over again. Start with one thing and move on.</p>
<p>Andrea’s just got the last of his clothes put away again. While he’d found a few casualties, both in them and other things about the apartment, Andrea’s surprised he hasn’t found more of his things outright destroyed. What he had discovered are already tossed into the garbage bag he’d hauled in here.</p>
<p>“Good timing.” Andrea says by way of greeting, “Could you give me a hand? I think a few things wound up behind the dresser.”</p>
<p>Cloud nods and with a single, too easy pull has the heavy chest drawn away from the wall. Andrea can’t even appreciate the move as he might otherwise. Too busy mentally cataloging things as he crouches down to root around behind the dresser. Sure enough finds a few odd bits of jewelery, some make up and a few other odds and ends he’s been missing a while. How embarrassing indeed.</p>
<p>Carefully he lines everything up on the top of the dresser again once Cloud moves it back into place. Dallies a bit longer than is strictly needed, fretting until everything is just right. That strange, restless energy he always feels when he gets like this buzzing through his bones.</p>
<p>“Hey...” There’s a touch to Andrea’s upper arm. A brush of warmth and strength. He turns into it without thought. Arms curling around Cloud’s waist as Cloud’s catch around his in turn. Andrea drops his head to Cloud’s shoulder. Letting out a slow breath. Hums as he feels Cloud’s hand trailing along the curse of his spine. Smooth, firm pressure.</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Andrea murmurs, squeezing Cloud a bit tighter as he does. Cloud makes a small noise, an edge of confusion to the sound. “For all this.”</p>
<p>“Sure.”</p>
<p>Andrea can’t help the slightly breathy laugh that trips over his tongue. Smiling as he leans back again. Sliding his hands up to catch Cloud’s face between them. Hums as he brushes his thumbs along Cloud’s cheeks gently.</p>
<p>“I mean it.” He chides. Cloud’s pretty eyes roll. But he nods against Andrea’s hold, fingers toying with the folds of his shirt against his back. Andrea dips his head, admiring that brief surprise before Cloud shifts to meet him. Lips brushing slow, almost careful against his. Andrea angles his head a bit more to catch him better. Keep him close.</p>
<p>“You okay?” Is the first sweet thing past Cloud’s flushed lips when Andrea finally lets him go. Lingering near to press their foreheads together. A grounding, somewhat tight touch.</p>
<p>“Better than I was.” Andrea assures him gently. Peering down into lovely, concerned eyes. “And I will be even more so, once all of this is over and done.”</p>
<p>“Okay...” Cloud replies, though not without that glimmer of hesitance underscoring his voice. Andrea just smiles a bit more, leans to kiss the edge of Cloud’s lips then the end of his nose before finally putting at least a little more ‘respectable’ distance between them. Still so much to do and dallying around won’t see it done.</p>
<p>The day’s starting to slip into evening by the time Andrea feels like he can breathe again. His landlady’d been more than understanding. Telling him to save his receipts for the new required door and locks and she’d take it off the rental costs for the following month. Cloud’d popped off on Fenrir to pick up what they needed. It’d taken Andrea more than a bit of time to convince the other man Andrea wasn’t going to swoon at the idea of being alone in the apartment for all of a few minutes. Once was quite enough, and more than the rat bastard deserves from him. Besides, it’d give him a chance to finish organizing a few things and getting back to the messages he’s heard pinging back from his phone off and on all day.</p>
<p>Sure enough it’s barely half an hour before Cloud’s pulling up outside again. Hauling the new door up to the entry by himself.</p>
<p>“Tifa wanted to know if they could come over here.”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Andrea takes the offered bag of other supplies and sets it inside the hall. “It’d be wonderful to see them.”</p>
<p>Cloud fishes his phone out his pocket. A few quick taps across the screen before he tucks it away again and asks Andrea for the small tool kit tucked away in the bag. Holds onto it patiently as Cloud runs a hand along the door frame. They’d inspected it together before Cloud’d left, to know if they’d need supplies to patch it. Thankfully the damage wasn't severe enough to need it.</p>
<p>Soon enough Cloud’s settled down on a knee, popping the bolts out of the door and tugging the old creaky thing loose. The metal clatters against the cement as Cloud tosses it behind him. Andrea wonders if it’s just him reading some kind of aggression into the move. It’s possible, given how calm Cloud appears. But it feels more like that old stony mask of his than any sort of real peace.</p>
<p>Before long, Andrea’s helping to catch the top of the door as it slowly tilts towards him. The two of them shuffling it out of the apartment just as Tifa’s teal truck pulls up behind Fenrir. She and the kids clamber out and hurry up the walkway. Andrea greats them with a slightly meek wave and tired smile. Wishes he had his usual energy to call upon, but he feels thoroughly tapped out after...everything.</p>
<p>There’s a quiet worry and understanding as she draws near. Andrea goes to answer the obvious question on her face, but before he can something small collides with his leg. He starts, glancing down to the top of Marlene’s head, her usual bow fluttering in the gentle breeze. Her wide brown eyes so sweetly worried as she glances up at him.</p>
<p>“Are you okay?”</p>
<p>Andrea blinks at the girl, something in his chest giving. Softening. Reaching to tuck a fly away strand of her hair back again.</p>
<p>“I am. Happy to see all of you though.” Andrea says, eyes drifting from the girl to Tifa and Denzel also hovering close by. Denzel’s got his hands tucked into his sweater’s front pouch. Still looks a little fragile after last night. But he manages something of a smile in answer. Tifa steps up to him, skirting around Marlene and Andrea’s happy to accept the brief, tight hug she offers.</p>
<p>“Cid get back to you?” Tifa asks as she wanders over towards Cloud. The blond’s sorting through the various locks and such he’d picked up. He hums and nods.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Gotta finish doing tune ups, but he’ll be here first thing.”</p>
<p>“’Kay.” Tifa turns back to Andrea with a sunny smile on her face. Jerks her head towards the apartment. “I can give you a hand getting packed up and ready if you’d like Andi.”</p>
<p>“Oh. I—yes, that would be lovely. Thank you.” Andrea replies, something of a laugh in his voice as Marlene tugs insistently at the hand she’s caught. He takes a few steps, but pauses, a small frown on his face.“Cloud—”</p>
<p>“I got it.” Cloud says evenly, clearly reading Andrea’s mind. The dancer huffs and rolls his eyes fondly. Denzel wanders up to his guardian, biting at the edge of his lips and rocking on his toes a bit. Voice just a touch hesitant as he asks.</p>
<p>“Can I help?”</p>
<p>Cloud’s eyes dart towards the boy. Surprise flickering for a heartbeat over his face before it softens. Not quite to his usual touch with the kids, but close enough to have Denzel closing that gap when Cloud nods.</p>
<p>“Sure buddy.”</p>
<p>Andrea follows the ladies both into the apartment, glad that he and Cloud had managed to pull it all mostly back into order. An odd feeling hovering at the back of his mind. Something almost...embarrassed? Or at least as foreign to him as that.</p>
<p>He realizes very quickly that he doesn’t actually own any sort of proper luggage either. Hadn’t ever thought or needed to play to go much of anywhere at any point in his life. One would think the mad exodus from Midgar would’ve changed that. But a lifetime of habit’s a hard thing to shake.</p>
<p>Tifa just waves away his half apologies. Offers to lend him some of her’s because apparently he’s going to spending the night at Seventh Heaven again. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Marlene’s perched herself on the chaise. Very helpfully sorting things into little piles. Andrea’s not quite sure if it’s by type or color, but it hardly matters really. Tifa warns him that Wutai’s going to be <em>hot</em> and so they raid what they can to prepare him for that.</p>
<p>Marlene’d begged to have music going so of course Andrea’d indulged. Offering her his relatively modest collection of tunes and the small player to do with what she’d like. It offers both him and Tifa at least a bit of mock privacy to talk.</p>
<p>“Cloud didn’t say much.” Tifa says, “But I’m guessing it’s got to do with what you’re headed out there for?”</p>
<p>“Yes.” Andrea nods, plucking out another shirt. “Of course, I’ve no <em>real</em> evidence of it, besides what was taken. But, well. Living in that man’s shadow taught me a lot. Especially how he operates. Though, granted, the same could be said of the reverse.”</p>
<p>Tifa’s hand lights a moment on his shoulder. Calm and comforting as the smile she offers him.</p>
<p>“Well, you’re not by yourself. And between all of us, we’ve probably got a few tricks up our sleeve he hasn’t seen.”</p>
<p>“I’d certainly believe that.” Andrea replies, if only to fight back against that stubborn knot of anxiety and too much else that won’t seem to give. Doubts it will until everything is taken care of. At least that’s what he’s aiming for.</p>
<p>“Your friend—Yuffie, was it? The young lady from the other night. She’s from Wutai herself, correct?”</p>
<p>“Yup!” Marlene chimes and Andrea’s glad he’s not the only one who starts. Glancing back to eye the girl. “She knows <em>all</em> the best places to play too. But that’s cuz she’s the Princess and she gets to do fun stuff.”</p>
<p>Andrea blinks. Stares a moment, then glances towards Tifa. Unable to keep the disbelief out of his voice.</p>
<p>“Truly?”</p>
<p>Tifa chuckles, “Yep. Surprised us all too, believe me. And I mean, Wutai’s really different from what you’d hear on the news.”</p>
<p>It’s funny. For all he’d grown up in Midgar, the entire feud and long war with Wutai seemed so...distant. More an Upper Plate problem then anything connected to his world. Neither enough time nor energy to devote the many, many conspiracies that’d dance their way through the market. Gleaned off the streets and in more private quarters as well. But that’s really all it’d been. Hearsay. Second hand accounts and propaganda for decades. Even after Shinra’d rolled out their impressive new SOLDIER program.</p>
<p>So in truth Andrea’s honestly not sure how <em>he</em> feels about the place. Neutral would probably be a lie. But it’s certainly not the vitriol people’d spit at the mere mention of the place even a few years ago.</p>
<p>“I can only imagine.”</p>
<p>“Won’t have to for long. Given Cid’s usual rate, you’ll probably be out there by Tuesday.”</p>
<p>Two days. Two days to cross the entirety of their world. It doesn’t seem <em>possible. </em>Such a seemingly insurmountable distance condensed into mere hours. Not that he can complain. Not with this new found urgency licking like fire at his heels.</p>
<p>“How exciting.” Is all he can thankfully manage, closing the closet behind them as they head over to double check the array they’d picked out. Enough to get him through at least a week. He hopes it won’t take that long—or god forbid even longer—but after everything, Andrea will <em>make</em> time for it if he must. No turning back now.</p>
<p>For now, selfish though it may be, Andrea feels he’s spent quite enough time worrying about Corneo. Worrying about what’s to come. Despairing at his own failure. Hates feeling stuck nearly more than anything else. Needs the distraction.</p>
<p>So as he and Tifa fold the clothes that were hanging, Andrea shoots her a slightly sly grin.</p>
<p>“So, since I didn’t get the chance to ask last night, how’d your date go?”</p>
<p>Tifa starts, blinking up at him. Brick red eyes surprised a moment before they dart away. She reaches a hand to tuck at a loose strand of hair. “It was nice.”</p>
<p>“Nice is good.” Andrea replies with a nod, tipping his head. “But was that all?”</p>
<p>“Mm mm. Bea—uh. Beatrix is really sweet.”</p>
<p>“Beatrix? That’s a rather unique name.”</p>
<p>“Yeah. She’s been a regular around the bar for a while now. Stops by some evenings just to get away from things I think.” There’s a quiet, gentle distance to Tifa’s gaze. “She runs her own little bee sanctuary. Grows flowers and stuff there too. She was talking about trying to get a shop going soon.”</p>
<p>“Truly? In Edge?” Andrea asks, a little thrill running through him. Tifa smiles and nods.</p>
<p>“Mmm hmm.”</p>
<p>“How marvellous. I can’t imagine all that is easy around here.”</p>
<p>“It’s not, but she’s really good with them. I’ve only seen the outside of her place, but it’s really something.” It’s cute. The way Tifa’s fiddling with her hands in her lap. Andrea’s always thought happiness is a wonderful look on her. But this new sort is somehow even softer. Lovelier, in it’s unique way. All he can really think is he’s happy for her. Happy she’s got a chance at having more of that in her life. Tifa’s always so quick and willing to give to everyone else. Seeing her go after something like this for herself is a delight.</p>
<p>So Andrea can’t bring himself to tease her.</p>
<p>...Too much.</p>
<p>He <em>does</em> manage to wiggle out a few details. Like the fact Beatrix has short, frizzy red hair and green eyes. Wears some of the brightest, flashiest, most interesting clothes Tifa’s ever seen. Wholly comfortable in her own skin.</p>
<p>Andrea listens with clear, purposeful intent. Smiling and nodding. Asking after simple details. Bea—and it’d be a lie to say the nickname doesn’t tickle Andrea silly—had apparently been the one to ask Tifa out.</p>
<p>“Weeks ago.” Tifa admits, looking a little shamefaced. “But then...well. With everything that’s been going on...it took a while to figure things out. Honestly, I’m lucky she was so patient with everything.”</p>
<p>“I’m very glad you did. You deserve to have some fun in your life, Tifa. It’s something to be enjoyed. Embraced.” Andrea replies, reaching out to squeeze Tifa’s shoulder gently. “And I can say with certainty that Beatrix is just as lucky to have the chance to know you.”</p>
<p>Cloud and Denzel finish up too, just as Andrea and the girls finish organizing his things and tucking away what they can of them into one of his work bags.</p>
<p>“Got it set up.” The blond says when they glance his way. He holds out the mold of the lock for Andrea to take to the key smith. Andrea accepts it with a smile.</p>
<p>“Thank you both, very much.” Andrea says, turning his attention back to Marlene and Tifa. Smile growing a bit as he sketches a small bow. “And you as well, of course. I’d be a lost little fish in the lake without your help. Please, do make yourselves at home, I won’t be long going to get this all finished up, and we can be well on our way.”</p>
<p>Andrea thanks his lucky stars that the lock smith’s place isn’t far away. The walk and fresh air does a lot of good. Though admittedly he does start to wish for company. Thoughts determined to buzz about his head like hornets. Their sting just as sharp. Andrea brushes them all back for now.</p>
<p>Blessedly, he’s able to be true to his word. No more than twenty minutes or so before he’s things back in hand and ambling back up the walk. Pleased and relieved when the key clicks into place easily. Both in the brand new dead-bolt and doorknob. He’s not expecting the lack of a creak to be quite the kick in his chest as it is. Just another sign of his lax attention.</p>
<p>Nothing to be done about it now.</p>
<p>The kids are set up around the coffee table. Still happily doodling away with the few colored pencils he keeps on hand for quick sketch ideas and the like. Tifa and Cloud are set up on the couch together. Both of them looking up as Andrea steps out past the entry hall. Holds up his new fangled key with a smile and jingle.</p>
<p>“All set.”</p>
<p>The kids are quick to clean up after themselves, the sweet things. Tifa trails them to make sure things are put away properly. Cloud follows Andrea to his bedroom to help gather his things. As they step into the seclusion of the room, Andrea gently swings the quietly creaking door mostly closed. Cloud of course notices the sound and glances over. A brief frown flickering over his face.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“Nothing darling.” Andrea assures him gently. Taking a careful step into Cloud’s space. Pleased when the other doesn’t shift away. Still looks confused though. Worried. Precious boy that he is. Andrea reaches out. Catches Cloud’s left hand and gentle tugs it up. Cloud gives it up to him so easily it makes something in Andrea’s chest flip and shiver. “Here.”</p>
<p>A brief rifle through his purse, and Andrea presses the first of the new keys he’d had made into Cloud’s hand. The blond starts. Just as he had the other day when Andrea’d given him the one to the old door. Still hurts Andrea’s heart a little. That look in Cloud’s eyes. On his face.</p>
<p>“But—”</p>
<p>“Hmm?” Andrea blinks. Confused by what Cloud’s getting at. Why he seems shaken in a way different to the first time. “Cloud?”</p>
<p>“I just. A-after today—”</p>
<p>...Oh.</p>
<p>Oh god this boy. This perfect, ridiculous, wonderful boy.</p>
<p>“Oh Cloud...” Andrea murmurs. All too soft. All too fond. All too full over everything this incredible soul fills his with. His hands skate up without thought. Catches Cloud tender and firm between them. “Sweetheart. Today changes absolutely <em>nothing</em>. Not between us. Not for this. My door with always be open to you. Always.”</p>
<p>It’s enough to damn near break Andrea’s heart. The way Cloud’s expression shatters. Fracturing on something raw that leaves him looking almost blank.</p>
<p>“Andrea—”</p>
<p>There’s nothing stopping Andrea this time. Nothing keeping him from holding Cloud tight. Tugging him closer even as Andrea dips his head that scant inch or so. Catches that beautiful, trembling mouth with his. Tries for tender, but the wash of too much else pushes them closer. Harder against each other, Cloud’s free hand curling into the front of Andrea’s shirt.</p>
<p>“Dammit.” Cloud gasps the moment they part. Breathing hard. Still shaking. Eyes still so damn bright. But before Andrea can question what he means Cloud’s dragging him back. Arching slightly on his toes so that <em>he’s</em> the one pressing against Andrea. Makes the dancer shudder, just a touch. Not from the usual heat that swamps him. But from something else. Something...more, in some way. Slides a hand along Cloud’s jaw. Around the back of his neck. Fingers curling into the soft hairs there. Just for something to clutch to in the strange rush of emotion.</p>
<p>Doesn’t know if he could find words for it either, even if Cloud let them both breathe for longer than a second or two. Everything rushing in his head. In his blood. His heart. Pounding and pounding, so why does Andrea feel like for the first time in hours he’s not left adrift in the cruel tides of the world.</p>
<p>Why—</p>
<p>“Hey, Andi—oh!” Marlene’s bright voice cuts out on a little gasp. The door creaks again. “Oops. Sorry.”</p>
<p>Surprised as he is by Marlene’s sudden voice and the door being all but flung open, Andrea’s certain he’s even more so by the fact Cloud doesn’t pull away. Lingers, lips against his a heartbeat, maybe two. When he finally does pull back, he doesn’t pull <em>away</em> either. Just ducks down into the curve of Andrea’s neck. The dancer hovers. Uncertain. Can still feel that tremor in Cloud’s spine though. So he loops a careful arm around that trim waist delicately. Turns to look over his shoulder back at Marlene.</p>
<p>“It’s fine dear. What did you need?”</p>
<p>“Do you want us to bring your flower too? Cloud said it’s important to you.” Marlene asks. Guileless and carefree. Evidently both unsurprised and unbothered by what she’d walked in on. Andrea’s....not sure if he’s surprised by that. He <em>is</em> more than a little startled by her question though.</p>
<p>“Yes...” Andrea manages after a moment. Calling his rose ‘important’ feels like the understatement of Andrea’s entire life. Especially given his meltdown about it earlier. Honestly, cleaning up the place earlier had just been a reminder to him. How very <em>un</em>attached he is to a lot of things in his apartment. How little so many of the material things mean to him. All of it more or less a ‘stop gap’ on his way to getting his real life back. But the rose is...different. “Yes, it is.”</p>
<p>“We can take it to our house then!” Marlene chimes. It sounds less like a query and more like a given fact. Andrea can’t help smiling at the girl.</p>
<p>“Would you be willing to look after it for me?”</p>
<p>“Uh huh!” She agrees readily. “I’ll put it in our room so nobody‘ll get to it. Then it won’t get lonely either!”</p>
<p>“Thank you honey. I appreciate that more than I can say.”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome!” Marlene chimes with that infectious smile. Her eyes wide and curious as she tilts her head. “You gonna ride with Cloud?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“’kay!” Marlene says and with nary a pause spins on her heel and darts back off. “Tifa! They’re gonna drive Fenrir!”</p>
<p>“See you back at the bar then!” Tifa’s calls, sounding a little distant. Must already be at the door. Andrea will have to give Tifa her key later then. Not that he minds much. Not with an armful of Cloud still. Pressed so close to him, Andrea could swear he feels the other’s heartbeat. Not that Andrea’s going to protest the closeness. Not at all. Slides his arm tighter around Cloud. Shifting it just enough that he can stroke Cloud’s back with a thumb.</p>
<p>Distantly he’s aware of the kids also calling back their own goodbyes. The sound of the door closing out front. Soon as they're properly alone, Andrea turns his head to nuzzle into those ever surprisingly soft spikes.</p>
<p>“Sweetheart...” Andrea murmurs. Not sure himself if he means it as a question or simple affection. Maybe, likely, both. Especially when Cloud’s grip on him tightens, pulling the fabric of his shirt fighter around Andrea’s shoulders. Whatever he means, Cloud doesn’t give him an answer, at least not in words. There’s a brief shuffle. Cloud shifting his weight. A rustle of cloth and the next moment both of Cloud’s arms around him. Almost too tight.</p>
<p>Andrea welcomes the pressure. Lets it ground him. Ground them—this moment. Clings to it with all the stubborn tenacity that’s helped him crawl his way through life so far. This battle’s not over. Not yet.</p>
<p>How fortunate then, to have one such as Cloud with him. For so, so many reasons.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We going to the beach-- err...Wutai! Woo hoo! ^^"</p>
<p>As always, if anybody over 21 wants to come chill in the Rhife!Discord (you don't even have to 'chat' just come hang out with like minded peeps if ya like! we don't bite.) message either myself (lunae_izunia) or CervusDeer (Moosephu) on Twitter! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Before the Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <em> Nervous laughter </em>
</p><p>Would you lovely readers do me a solid, pretty please? You don't have to say anything else about this chapter at all. But please drop a thank you to Avasti in the comments. The amount of work, effort, time, blood, sweat and tears they poured into this chapter and the next when it comes absolutely LUDICROUS. I went off my gd writer rocker and they CHAMPIONED it anyway- like always. This fic- and ESPECIALLY this chapter- would not be in the wonderful state it's in- let alone how quickly- without them. So please. Just a few words or hell an emote, or two for them would mean the world and more to me right now. &lt;3 &lt;3 &lt;3 </p><p>On that note- hey! Hasn't been a month so that's improvement right? ^^" Few new content warnings in place for this chapter. Biggest of one would probably be Motion Sickness and larely non-graphic depictions of vomiting. So heads up for that.</p><p>And I do believe that's that's for this one. As always hope you enjoy!</p><p>Edit: Oh. And I guess with this we broke 300K word count so. Cool. ^^"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Andrea doesn’t have the first clue how long they stand there. Wrapped together in a tangle of limbs. Evening shadows growing long and dark all through the room as the sun sinks lower and lower. Andrea presses slow, tender kisses through Cloud’s hair. The finite tremble in Cloud slowly dying down. Not disappearing, not entirely. But enough Cloud’s hands aren’t curled into fists in his shirt. Instead lying flat along either side of his spine. Just beneath his shoulder blades. Andrea’s still got one of his buried in the thick of Cloud’s hair at the back of his head. Keeping him close, tucked against his shoulder.</p><p>Cloud hasn’t tried to pull back or away in the slightest either. A distant part of Andrea’s worried about it, certainly. But far more than that he’s content to have the other near. Helps to ground him in the here and now. In the fact that, despite the regrettable, awful loss, that nothing is truly <em>over</em> yet.</p><p>And so, <em>so</em> much of that is because of the man in his arms.</p><p>With a gentle sigh Andrea leans his head. Dipping till he can press the end of his nose to Cloud’s temple. “Cloud?”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>Cloud’s voice still has that slightly rough edge to it. Pricks a little sharper at the worry hovering in Andrea’s chest. Absent, Andrea sweeps a thumb against the hollow behind Cloud’s left ear. Today’s been a stressful, emotional day for them both for different reasons. Not to mention Andrea’s still not sure exactly how much sleep Cloud managed to get last night. It’s enough to gently tuck his worry back. Easy enough to call forth if Cloud doesn’t seem to be doing better with a bit more time and distance between everything. So instead Andrea tucks a gentle smile against the warm skin of Cloud’s cheek as he murmurs.</p><p>“Shall we catch up with the others?”</p><p>For a moment Cloud’s hands twitch against his back again. The blond hovering. Still and close. Oddly quiet. Before he lets the moment go all in a gentle rush of breath against Andrea’s neck. Nods, so the ends of his hair tickle Andrea gently.</p><p>“‘Kay.”</p><p>Slowly Cloud pulls back enough Andrea can see his face again. Some expression hovering there. A shadow like frustration and something else too. Andrea slides his hand from Cloud’s hair. Trailing the tips of his fingers along Cloud’s jaw as the other straightens.</p><p>“Alright?”</p><p>Cloud nods. Not quite meeting Andrea’s eyes as his grip too finally slips entirely from Andrea. Some of that lingering militant discipline injecting steel into his spine.</p><p>“You got everything you need?”</p><p>“Just about I think. Give me a few minutes to check?”</p><p>Cloud nods and splits off from him. Leaving Andrea to bustle about briefly in the shadows of the bedroom. In truth there’s genuinely not much he can think of off the top of his head that’s still here. He and Tifa had been very thorough ensuring that he was prepared for just about any eventuality. Her imparting some of her own ‘life lessons’ into the mix. Andrea feels he’s learned a fair bit about the ‘art’ of travel. Of course, he’s no doubt the real experience will bring to light his own...naivety about such things. So he can only be grateful Tifa’d been so willing to share her own tales with him.</p><p>There is one thing Andrea thinks to grab. An impulse in every sense of the word, but still, he can’t help plucking the little velvet box back out of his jewellery. The one that holds the earrings Cloud’d returned to him. He doesn’t know why he feels the desire to bring them along. Just as likely to leave them at Seventh Heaven anyway, rather that risk them on the trip. But it’s an ‘instinct’ he can’t seem to shake, so he doesn’t.</p><p>He flits through a few other places, the bathroom, the kitchen. He’s planning to leave his keys with Claude so his friend can check up on the place while Andrea’s away. Originally Andrea’d planned to just let him stay there. But after the break-in he doesn’t want Claude putting himself at that kind of risk. Not when Andrea has no real read of whatever the hell Corneo’s motivations are right now.</p><p>Andrea has to remind himself that Tifa and the kids took his rose when he glances around the living room. Still doesn’t quite stop that instinctive jolt of panic from needling sharp into his chest before he catches himself.</p><p>If Cloud noticed his short, aborted step towards the small table, he doesn’t show it. Or say anything. Perched casually against the arm of the couch where he’s got a clear view of both the front window and the entry hall. Glances over at Andrea as the dancer hoists his work bag over his shoulder. One of them had hauled it in during Andrea’s completely frazzled state earlier.</p><p>“Ready when you are, my darling.” Andrea tells him with a smile, palming his key. Following in Cloud’s wake as the other heads for the door. Pauses a moment, glancing back into the apartment for just a moment.</p><p>It’s...odd. The feeling sitting in his chest. Weighty, but not crushing. But it <em>does</em> feel like an end of sorts. The next time he sets foot in here, things will have changed. Perhaps, even <em>he</em> will have changed, to some degree.</p><p>The next time he walks through this door, Andrea Rhodea will be <em>free</em> for the first time in his life.</p><p>“Wish me luck.” He murmurs under his breath. He’s no idea to who. But it feels. Right. Settles that weight and lets him take a slow deep breath. Gives him the strength to tug the new door shut. With a click and the sound of tumblers falling into place, Andrea hurries after Cloud once again.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>His things have already been shuffled up to Cloud’s room courtesy of Tifa and the kids. Including his rose, perched prettily on the desk. Marlene says it’s because the flower’d be happier to be with him until he has to go. Andrea thinks it’s sweet. Reminded of her talking away to the flowers back at the church and Elmyra’s what feels like a small eternity ago. He still thanks her graciously of course.</p><p>The rest of the evening is a rather quiet affair, at least for him. The bustle of the bar and its patrons a sort of white noise drone all around. Rattling dishes and clinking cups. Marlene’s hopped up in the booth beside him, busy working away at one of her favourite books. An interesting thing, all full of mazes. Some of them surprisingly complex things, especially for a child her age. Denzel’d opted to work on his projects upstairs away from the noise of everything. Tifa’s busy working the bar with her usual aplomb. Cloud’d been helping her for a time, but he’d vanished a while ago now. Andrea’s not sure where he’d gone.</p><p>There’s a clatter by his elbow as Marlene trades out one colorful crayon for another. Humming happily to herself as she starts the next of her mazes. This page is full of letters, and Andrea’s noticed at the top or bottom of each page sits a quote. Some inspirational thing or another about life and getting lost. This one he finds rather charming though.</p><p><em>Happiness...leads none of us by the same route</em>.</p><p>“Do you wanna do one Andi?” Marlene asks, glancing up at him. Her brown eyes curious as she offers him the orange crayon. Andrea returns her smile gently and shakes his head.</p><p>“Perhaps when I’m done with supper. But thank you for the offer, honey.”</p><p>Marlene nods and turns back to her fun. Andrea’s smile flickers a bit when his attention turns to the clock. God it’s barely past eight in the evening and he already feels absolutely wrung through. From what Cloud’d said though, Cid’s going to be waiting for them very, <em>very</em> early tomorrow morning. So perhaps bed’s not a terrible idea sooner rather than later.</p><p>He’s kept his phone with him all evening. Coordinating with Leslie to meet them come morning. And the Madame as well.</p><p>It’s funny, Andrea hadn’t realized he’d been expecting things to be far more...broken, than they currently were. Given what’d happened. He certainly still feels off balance. Not quite sure how to find his proper footing again. Probably doesn’t help that all the scrabbling and panic today has coalesced into a constant, dull throb in his still sprained ankle. Honestly, he wouldn’t be surprised if he’d re-injured it somehow.</p><p>Andrea makes himself finish off the meal Tifa’d graciously placed before him about an hour ago now. No sense in letting anything go to waste. And with things moving forward, he’s going to need the energy. No sooner has he finished and nudged the dishes away that Tifa’s flitting by to add them to the stack she’s got expertly balanced in her hands.</p><p>“Get you anything else Andi?”</p><p>“No thank you dear. That was more than enough. Delectable as always.”</p><p>Marlene does nudge Andrea into doing at least <em>one</em> of her little mazes. A simpler one and Andrea both wants to laugh and thank her for it. His mind’s not up to much in the way of mental gymnastics at the moment. So he takes the proffered glittery gold crayon and under Marlene’s expert eye traces his way slowly through the mess of lines and around walls that make up the cute heart shape.</p><p>Rather proud of himself that he only runs into a couple dead ends.</p><p>Marlene’s sweet and applauds his efforts as his golden line finally breaks free. Gets him to ‘sign off’ on it as proof. Andrea does so, with a little flourish he hasn’t bothered with since he was a child. Some loopy silly flower branching of the last ‘a’. Once he’s done so Marlene finally lets him loose with a cheery, “Night Andi. Sleep good!”</p><p>The doorway to Cloud’s garage is cracked open when Andrea steps into the hall. The bright florescent light spilling out onto the floorboards and against the bottom few steps. But it seems quiet in there. Curious, Andrea wanders forward peeking inside.</p><p>It’s not hard to spot the other. Hovering by Fenrir a few tools scattered out of the box at his feet. Strewn about the cold cement floor. Leaning slightly over the back, empty right hand braced on the seat. Andrea can’t see his left. There’s an odd tension rounding his shoulders. A tremor there. A heaviness to the breath that makes them rise and fall. The sharp line of his spine pressing through his shirt just above his shoulder blades.</p><p>Andrea frowns to himself, pressing the door open.</p><p>“Cloud?”</p><p>The sharpness in Cloud spikes a moment. A hitch of his shoulders nearly to his ears. A quiet rustle in the stillness before he straightens a bit, glancing over to Andrea.</p><p>“Hey. All finished?”</p><p>“Yes. I was just thinking about settling in.”</p><p>Andrea takes a step into the room. Eyeing the other. He looks a little...off. Something tired hovering in his eyes. A paleness to his face. Andrea pulls on half a smile. Holds out a hand and beckons the other gently.</p><p>“Join me?”</p><p>“Maybe in a bit.” Comes the rather expected reply. Cloud glancing down to the ground, a quiet frown on his face as he eyes the mess. Crouches down to start gathering things up. “Gotta finish up some stuff.”</p><p>“Anything I can help with?” Dropping his hand, Andrea wanders a little closer. Making sure to close the door back to where Cloud’d had it earlier. “Or I could just keep you company?”</p><p>“ ‘s fine. You need sleep.”</p><p>“True, but I doubt it’ll find me all that quickly.” Andrea says, with a chuckle he doesn’t really mean. Hopes that it finds him at all tonight. Especially with that...feeling still crawling like a spider along his spine...“In truth I...”</p><p>God it’s been far too long since he’s felt this way. The needle pricks of eyes in the shadows. Watching. Watching every move, every word, every breath. Waiting for him to stumble. To slip up. To stop smiling. Stop doing what’s ‘expected’ of his position.</p><p>He hates it. Wants to push it all away. But that includes the urge to paste himself messily into that old skin of his. He’d promised. Himself if nothing else, that he’d stop trying to hide from Cloud. So Andrea takes a breath. Careful and steadying. Still cursing himself at the way it shakes. Just a little.</p><p>“I’d rather not be alone at present.”</p><p>Cloud stops what he’s doing in a heartbeat. Some wrench or other still in hand as he jerks his head back around toward Andrea. Impossible eyes wide. Startled.</p><p>“You’re not.” There’s such<em> conviction</em> in those words. In his voice as the set of his crouched frame. Touches and curls down warm around something in Andrea. Makes it settle even as Cloud blinks again. A rush of something nervous, maybe even embarrassed, hovering in his face. Fidgets with the tool a moment before he goes back to his work. “I-I mean, you can stick around. If you want. Won’t take long.”</p><p>The smile that curls over Andrea’s lips feels far more real. More genuine. Softer. Steps further into the room. Makes sure to close the door mostly behind him again since that’s how Cloud wanted it.</p><p>“Would music bother you?”</p><p>Cloud just shakes his head. That sweet concentrated furrow on his brow. Perching on the floor. Tugging at some complicated little mechanism on Fenrir’s side. Part of those specially compartments Cloud keeps the parts of his sword in. Andrea carefully steps past him. Heading for the little radio he’s spotted on the workbench. Fusses with it a moment keeps the sound low when it flickers to life. He settles comfortably on the bench beside it to watch Cloud work. Legs crossed, hands hooked over his knee.</p><p>It’s relaxing in a strange way. Andrea doesn’t know the first thing about vehicle maintenance. Knew, vaguely, how to get the sometimes finicky lights in the Inn up and going again if needed. Just fiddling with a few switches and things. Nothing at all compared to whatever it is Cloud’s doing. So many little pieces and parts. Interesting to note that Cloud tackles working on the machine in much the same way that he fights. Concentrated. Yet so unafraid. Throws himself at problems readily. Not recklessly, at least not often. Andrea can see the gears turning beneath those beautiful eyes. It’s entrancing.</p><p>Andrea chuckles at himself. Gets a brief glance out of the corner of Cloud’s eye. A muffled, questioning grunt around the end of a screwdriver Cloud’s got between his teeth. He shakes his head and Cloud’s eyes narrow a moment then he turns back to what he was doing.</p><p>Andrea’s not sure if he’s surprised. About the fact that Cloud hasn’t tried to offer him any sort of false reassurances through all this. Nothing ‘promised’ that couldn’t immediately be worked towards. No vapid “<em>Things are okay</em>.” or anything like that. No false hopes offered.</p><p>Honestly, Andrea thinks that’s part of what’s helping him move forward right now. Because, well. Things <em>aren’t</em> alright. Andrea’d screwed up. Gotten far too complacent. But he’s not alone in this either. Still has a chance to amend what he’s done. Or rather failed to do.</p><p>He blinks back to the present a moment later. Doesn’t feel like wallowing in his own head any more today. It just exhausts him. Nothing to be done till the morning.</p><p>Realizes he’s absently tapping his foot along to the music playing. It’s rather unlike anything Andrea’s really listened to in the past. A mix of reverberating vocals and simple instruments scoring them. Folksy he thinks the term is. Not often found within Midgar’s walls, that’s for certain.</p><p>It’s pretty. Reverberates through him gently. Catching his focus. Pulling him further back into the moment. To the clink of metal on metal and the gentle mumble of Cloud’s voice. Looks up to see Cloud gripping the edge of the ‘wing’. Shifting it back and forth. Makes it look effortless, but Andrea’s seen how much force those things eject at.</p><p>Apparently satisfied with whatever he’d done. Cloud hops easily back to his feet. Fussing with handlebars and front panel a moment. The ‘wings’ snap back into place with a gentle hiss.</p><p>“All finished?” Andrea asks, a slightly cheeky echo of Cloud’s earlier words. Pushes up to his feet in turn. An idea dancing through his head.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>“Whoa-hey!”</p><p>Cloud gasps, stumbling a little as Andrea tugs him over. Catching Cloud at just a bit of an awkward angle as Andrea lifts his other hand. Tips Cloud’s chin up and dips down. Hovers. A soft noise in his throat as their lips meet.</p><p>“Andrea.” Cloud grumbles right against his mouth. Quietly irritable. Like he wasn’t the one who closed the distance between them. Andrea chuckles, pulling back an inch or so.</p><p>“What?” Andrea inquires with an exaggerated innocence. “Fenrir won’t tell anyone. He promised.”</p><p>Cloud sighs. Eyes rolling and he glowers at the dancer.</p><p>“Weirdo.”</p><p>Andrea hums in agreement. He’s been called far worse things after all. Tugging at Cloud gently to get them facing one another properly. Tugs close a step closer and feels the other shift, then still. Andrea makes a questioning noise. Picking up the gentle tension in Cloud’s spine.</p><p>“Still got oil on my hands, genius.” Cloud says and ah. Yes Andrea can see the dark smears on his fingers from where Cloud’s holding them away from Andrea’s sides. Silly, sweet boy.</p><p>“Oh what a dreadful tragedy indeed. Whatever shall I do?” Andrea says with mock solemnity. Still, he reaches out towards the desk to his right. Plucks up one of the stained rags from the surface and passes it over for Cloud to wipe his hands with. There’s even a faint smear of it on Cloud’s cheek, but Andrea isn’t inclined to point it out. It’s charming.</p><p>Almost as charming as the way Cloud’s nose wrinkles when Andrea starts pressing light, meandering kisses against his brow. Not Andrea’s fault the boy’s the perfect height for it now is it? When Cloud finally tosses the cloth away Andrea curls an arm around that lean waist and smiles as he presses their foreheads together. Gazing into Cloud’s eyes. The blond blinks at him. Andrea can feel a faint twitch of Cloud’s hands from where they finally settled on his sides.</p><p>Andrea can see the question in those starbright irises. Still worried about him it seems. Andrea can hardly fault the other that, given the state Cloud’d found him in. But Cloud’s also very, very greatly underestimating just how much <em>he</em> helps. Just by being here. Being willing to stand at Andrea’s side in this. Especially when, really, it’s got nothing at all to do with him. Save the fact Andrea’d been the one to sort of drag him into this mess all those years ago.</p><p>It’s a quiet thunder of emotion in Andrea’s chest. A pulse alongside his heartbeat. Furrows his brow a little. Tugs at his lips. Upward into a quiet smile. Burns, just a little, at the back of his eyes and in his throat. Reaches up his free hand and brushes the back of two fingers down Cloud’s soft, freckled cheek.</p><p>“I am truly grateful that I met you, Cloud.”</p><p>Something odd passes briefly through Cloud’s gaze. A moment where they flicker. Widen. Andrea can feel his hands curling tighter. A momentary, spasm of motion. His eyes drop and Andrea gently catches his jaw. Stops him from ducking away entirely.</p><p>“I mean it.” He says, quietly firm. “If I hadn’t, I’m...I’m genuinely not sure where I’d be right now.”</p><p>A very good chance, had they not been free from the Don’s influence, the Market wouldn’t have been able to pull itself together as <em>something</em> cohesive. To escape the sheer and utter destruction Meteor left in its wake.</p><p>“You’d ‘ve been fine.” Cloud says and there’s something rough beneath those words. Hovering just on the edge of that old persona of his.</p><p>“Perhaps.” Andrea agrees quietly. He hasn’t survived this long, in his world, without reason. “But even so. I’d waited <em>years </em>for a chance to unseat the Don, Cloud. A decade of my life. Just...waiting.”</p><p>It’s awful to think about. To remember. Thinks he’d blocked at least a part of it out to bury the sting. The <em>shame</em> of it. Feels like it’s gotten sharper over time. At least when he was in the thick of it, it felt like he’d been moving. Doing something—<em>anything</em>. A pretty lie.</p><p>“And before I’d met you, I’d.” A painful smile twists Andrea’s lips.“I’d given up. Everything was stagnating around me. I had no means to press forward. No way to pull back without betraying everything that I’d tried to salvage from his hands. I was. Trapped.”</p><p>It stings to think back on it. Thinking he was so <em>clever.</em> Got himself far, far too deep into the ‘game’. Until Andrea was stuck. Backed into a corner. Where one wrong move, one tiny, inconsequential wrong step would’ve seen everything come crashing down around him. Andrea doesn’t even want to fathom what the Don would’ve done had he caught wind before Cloud’d stumbled into things. How many <em>more</em> innocent lives would’ve been lost in the wake of it? Just to show Andrea a lesson before disposing of him.</p><p>“And then you came along. You and all your surprising...<em>everything</em>.” Andrea lets out a breathy, incredulous laugh. Tipping his head as he peers at Cloud’s face. “I don’t think you realize what you did that day. For all of us. For me.”</p><p>Even as he says it, Andrea can see the confusion in Cloud’s face. Makes something of a smile flicker over his face again as he shrugs. His arm around Cloud’s waist shifts. Hand resting against the trim line of it. Toying with the baggy folds of his shirt.</p><p>“And now here I am. The end of everything I’ve worked towards is so close I feel like I could reach out and touch it. Everything...everything I’ve done up till now. Everything I built. Everything I <em>am</em>. It’s all coming to a close. My final curtain call.” Should be liberating. It is. In so, so many ways it is. But it’s also- “Honestly it’s rather terrifying in some ways.”</p><p>“It’s not.”</p><p>Andrea blinks. Draws his gaze and focus back up to Cloud’s.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“I...this. All this with Corneo?” Cloud jerks his chin, to the world at large it seems. A frown hovering in the corner of his mouth. So serious. Catches the attention of something in Andrea. Makes it stand tall. “That’s not you. We get this done and you rebuild. That’s what you want, right?”</p><p>“I. Yes.” Andrea manages after a moment. Struggling to find his voice. Answers almost without thought. “More than anything.”</p><p>Cloud nods. Another of those quiet, intent, <em>intense</em> moments of his.</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>Andrea knows. He just...<em>knows</em> that this is another of Cloud’s promises. Cloud doesn’t need to say those words. Not at all. Somehow Andrea can just. Feel it.</p><p>It just about knocks the air from his lungs.</p><p>It’s so unfair. So wildly, horribly, <em>wonderfully</em> unfair. Andrea’s spent his whole life beneath the spotlight. Putting on an act. A particular face for a particular moment. Flitting between bits and pieces of himself. Remembers what Cloud’d said. About how strange it was for him to be seen or noticed by someone.</p><p>Andrea hadn’t realized that the opposite was somehow just as true.</p><p>It’s another biting, blinding rush of emotion. Catches the breath sharp in his throat. Pushes a smile up and out of the well bubbling in his chest. Up and out onto his lips. Hovers there even as he clutches the side of Cloud’s face. Glances their lips together before he tugs Cloud tight against him. Takes a minute just to breathe. Struggling for just a moment to find his voice.</p><p>“Thank you, Cloud.”</p><p>Cloud nods against his shoulder. Andrea turns his head. Burying his nose in the gentle mess of Cloud’s hair. Squeezing him tight, Andrea lets out a long, slow, content sigh. Doesn’t realize he starts swaying them in place to the still quietly playing music. Probably because Cloud just...fits himself right into the thoughtless rhythm.</p><p>Feels like some lingering weight has been lifted from his shoulders. Lightened, if not faded entirely. It’s enough for now. More than enough. Because. Well. He’s here. They’ve still got a plan. He’s got Cloud in his arms and despite every awful thing today, his dream’s still sitting on the horizon.</p><p>Andrea’s been through worse. Far worse. And he’s not alone. Just like Cloud’d said.</p><p>So, wrung through though he is. Tired and battered, Andrea shifts them. Reaches down to catch Cloud’s right hand at his waist. Twining their fingers and raising them. Shifts his other higher up Cloud’s back. Keeps his touch light as he gently nudges Cloud’s other arm. Cloud lets go of his waist. Hesitates. Then rests it gently on Andrea’s shoulder. With a smile, Andrea steps and tugs. Unsurprised and still awed at the way Cloud matches him.</p><p>Andrea rather doubts Cloud knows what he’s doing. What <em>they</em>’<em>re</em> doing. Doubts he knows the language (promenade) the steps (a slow one, two, three). But as he always has, Cloud just...figures it out. Matches Andrea’s body language. A beautiful, yet unique mirror.</p><p>Cloud’s eyes widen just a touch. Darting down then back up. A question hovering in their bright, lovely depths. Andrea meets him with a smile. Squeezes their hands and hums. Shifting his weight and feeling Cloud shift with him after but a moment of hesitation. A hesitation that isn’t there the next step. Cloud catching on. Quick as ever.</p><p>It’s not quite ‘dancing’ at least not in Andrea’s usual fashion. Just a slow, careful rock back and forth. In lazy, gentle circles to that bright floating rhythm that echoes from the tiny speakers. All strings and a woman’s voice. Probably doing the true sound of it poor justice. But it’s beautiful still.</p><p>It isn’t long. It doesn’t need to be. Just a moment in this too long day for Andrea to find his centre. Hopes that it does at least a little something for Cloud too. Likes to think it does. That soft flicker in Cloud’s bright eyes as Andrea crowds their faces together. Close enough to feel the wisps and heat of Cloud’s breath. Drawing to a natural halt as the music finally drifts into static silence.</p><p>“Beautiful.” Andrea murmurs, drawing Cloud’s hand over. Pressing his lips to the backs of his fingers. Peering at Cloud over top of his knuckles. Smiling at the slightly uncertain look on Cloud’s face. “Come to bed with me...?”</p><p>“’kay.”</p><p>Andrea smiles. Rocking back on his heel. Gently tugging at their joined hands and not letting Cloud go as they duck out of the garage and up the stairs. Lingers with touches or hovering close all the way up until they turn down the covers on Cloud’s small bed. They’re just going to climb in when there’s a gentle knock at the door. Marlene pokes her head in, brightening when she sees them. She pushes the door open and shuffles in quickly. Clearly also in the process of getting ready for bed despite the lingering noise of the still open bar.</p><p>“Here Andi!” She says, thrusting something out towards him. Andrea catches it on instinct. Blinking down at the button eyed rabbit now sitting in his hands. An obviously well loved thing given the slightly thread bare patches along it’s head and long limbs. The rest of it’s surprisingly soft. “This is Mr. Molly-Thumper. He always makes me feel better when I had a bad day. So he’ll help you too.”</p><p>“I. Thank you very much Marlene.” Andrea manages after a moment. A little surprised by the subtle burn in his throat. Clears it carefully and offers the girl a smile. “You’re certain he won’t mind?”</p><p>“Nope! He likes helping people.” Marlene replies with a grin. Tipping forward to catch Andrea in a surprise hug before giving one to Cloud too before hurrying back to the door.</p><p>“Night Andi. Night Cloud,”</p><p>“Goodnight.”</p><p>“Night kiddo.”</p><p>Marlene goes to close the door but stops, leaning back at a slightly awkward angle to turn those deadly eyes on her guardian.</p><p>“Oh! Cloud?”</p><p>“Mm?”</p><p>“Will you bring back some of those candies again?”</p><p>“Maybe.” Cloud hedges. But from Marlene’s grin she’s practically already tasting them. “Get to bed. You’ve got school.”</p><p>“Fiiine. Night!”</p><p>The door shuts behind her with a thump and a click. Andrea smiles, listening to her muffled babble at Denzel through the door as she hurries away. Cloud sighs and finishes stripping out of his day shirt and into the soft, forest green he’d had on last night.</p><p>Andrea shuffles along the bed towards the wall. Cloud pauses, hand on the switch of the lamp. Jerks his chin gently towards Andrea.</p><p>“You really gonna sleep with that?”</p><p>Andrea glances down at Molly-Thumper. A smile dragging at half his lips as he eyes the charming toy. Glances back at Cloud.</p><p>“I think I am. Yes.”</p><p>Cloud huffs. A small roll of his eyes. But he flicks off the light and climbs in after Andrea. The dancer hums as they shift together. Funny how thoughtless it is now. Finds himself ducking down. Ear pressed to the rhythm of Cloud’s heart, arms around his waist. The snuggly rabbit between his chest and Cloud’s stomach. Lets the dark and calm quiet drag at him, down and down, into the calm dark of sleep. Of his dreams.</p><p>Wakes to the feel of Cloud shaking him awake, that odd, thunderous tearing noise ringing through the back of his mind as his eyes peel open. Bleary still tired, but quick to bleed the weariness from his bones. Pushes slightly inelegantly to his feet and follows Cloud’s lead as the other bustles about to get ready. Stilling a yawn and stretching, Andrea’s eye catches on the sight of his rose. Still on the desk and housed in a cute little porcelain vase. Marlene must’ve switched it. He’d been too tired to notice last night. Andrea reaches out to brush the waxy petals. A thought ringing through his slow waking mind.</p><p>Today’s finally the day.</p><p>In less than an hour, they’ll be on the road. In the <em>sky</em>. Headed off to the other end of the world.</p><p>“God...” Andrea mutters, uncertain if he’s surprised it sounds rough. Shaken, even. Cloud makes a low questioning noise from where he’s strapping into his weapon harness already. Andrea glances towards him and smiles. Shakes his head. “I suppose it’s just...all hitting me at once. All this.”</p><p>Cloud eyes him a moment longer, fingers hovering over the last buckle. Then he nods, slow, but understanding.</p><p>“Make sure you’ve got what you need.” He advises, Tugging the strap tighter with a hiss of leather and clink of metal. Plucks his sword from its resting place on the wall and slides it into the lowest hanging sheath at his lower back. He then steps out into the hall and closes the door to give Andrea privacy to finish getting ready.</p><p>It doesn’t take long for Andrea to hurry after him. Everything’s already packed from yesterday. Just trading out his set of sleepwear for comfortable clothes Tifa’d advised for the long trip. He can hear shuffling just in the hall. Imagines it’s Tifa and Cloud, by the twin footsteps on the creaky stairs, with one last glance, Andrea tucks away the box holding his earrings into one of the drawers in Cloud’s desk.</p><p>Finally he plucks up the vase and Molly-Thumper and s lips out of the room, down towards the kid’s. Both of them are still sleeping. Too early for them to rise even though it’s a school day. So he keeps as quiet as he can. Tiptoeing along to rest Molly-Thumper just beside Marlene’s pillow. Sets his rose on the table that sits between her and Denzel’s beds. The one that holds a picture of a younger Denzel, alongside two people Andrea can only imagine are his blood family. He’s glad the boy’s been able to keep a piece of them close.</p><p>Tifa’s packing them a breakfast to go by the time Andrea makes it downstairs. Slides a thermos of steaming tea his ways. It smells of a heavenly mix of mint and lavender. Andrea murmurs a low “Thank you.” around the rim as he takes a careful sip.</p><p>It’s delicious. And goes a long way to settling the nerves he can feel flickering back to life.</p><p>Cloud’s been fussing with his phone in between quiet conversation with Tifa. Finally he snaps it shut and pushes off the counter. Scooping of the two packages she’d left there for their meal.</p><p>“Cid’s landing. We better move.”</p><p>Andrea pops the lid back on his thermos and follows Cloud to the garage. It takes no time at all it seems for Cloud to load everything up. Both into the seat as well as the side carrier Andrea hadn’t realized he owned. Tifa hovers in the doorway.</p><p>“Be careful out there, okay? Both of you.”</p><p>“Of course Tifa. We’ll keep in touch.” Andrea assures her. Taking the helmet Cloud offers and strapping in.</p><p>“Sounds good.” She replies with a smile and Andrea can hear the gratitude in it clear as the rising sun brightening the air through the wide garage door. Cloud swings onto the bike and Andrea follows. Tucking close to not be pressed against the extra compartment Cloud’s got lashed to the back. Cloud hesitates a moment, glancing over towards Tifa. The air is a strange, charged thing in the early morning chill. Another of their Looks exchanged before he nods.</p><p>“Be home soon.”</p><p>Some of that lingering worry on Tifa’s face vanishes. Brightens her whole being up as her smile widens. Cloud settles his goggles over his eyes. Fenrir roars to life beneath them as he kicks the stand back up. Within moments they're out in the streets and zipping away.</p><p>Edge is just starting to wake all around them as they tear through the streets. Large produce trucks and such ambling along. Cloud weaves between them with his usual ease and grace. Keeping them headed east. The usual route they take towards Kalm or the Ranch. As they hit the highway proper Andrea gasps. Because he can already see the airship.</p><p>It’s large. Much larger than Andrea thinks he’d anticipated. An elongated, strangely elegant beast of metal and mechanics. The head of it some strange maw of twisted steel. Heavy set at its rear with twin protrusions branching off its sides. Wings topped with a trio tier of blades that glint in the sun and cast long shadows on the ground. The shape reminds Andrea of some odd, long necked bird somehow.</p><p>Fenrir hits the dry, dusty ground minutes later and they streak towards it. The size of the ship seems to grow and grow the closer they get. The rising sun glinting off silver and glass. Andrea’s never seen anything like it in his life.</p><p>“Yo! About damn time! I’ve been freezing my balls off waiting for you.”</p><p>A voice sounds through the brisk air as Cloud draws them to a quick and easy halt as they reach the base of the airship. Andrea jerks his attention down towards the ground again. Spies the man who’d called out to them, leaning against the side of the ship. A pair of wide goggles keeping short cropped blond hair pushed off his forehead. A sharp grin on his face around the cigarette he’s got clenched between his teeth.</p><p>“Hey Cid.” Cloud calls back. Clearly unperturbed by the man’s rather crude greeting. Andrea honestly wonders if Cid can hear him. Cloud doesn’t bother raising his voice all that much. Andrea quickly climbs down from the bike. A little trickier to do with the attachment behind him. Cloud doesn’t follow. Hovers on Fenrir. Keeping the bike braced up with one leg. A small jerk of his head towards Andrea. “This is Andrea. Andrea, Cid Highwind.”</p><p>“So you’re who all the fuss is about, huh?” The man says. One brow arched over blue-grey eyes as he looks the dancer over.</p><p>“I suppose so.” Andrea agrees. Offers Cid a sketch of a bow. “Thank you for doing all this Cid.”</p><p>“Yeah yeah. Fuckin’ peachy. How many we waitin’ on?” Cid asks, tapping the ashes at the end of his cigarette off.</p><p>“Just one I think.” Cloud says, a questioning glance in Andrea’s direction. The dancer smiles, nods.</p><p>“A young man named Leslie. Black jacket, silver hair, red cap.”</p><p>“Leslie, huh? All right then, hurry up and get loaded in. Soon as he gets here we’re movin’ out.”</p><p>As Cid says it, he turns. Rapping against the metal door beside him. There’s a whirl then a hiss as it opens. Andrea takes a step back as Cloud starts Fenrir back up. Turning and driving with ease up the gentle ramp, vanishing into the airship.</p><p>“Well what are you waiting for?” Cid asks, dropping the stubby remains of his cigarette to the ground and stomping it out. He’s fishing out another one as Andrea ducks past him and into the interior of the ship. Finds Cloud in some sort of storage area. At least, that’s what Andrea assumes it is based on the crates and the like lashed down here and there. Seems Cloud’s also working at getting Fenrir tied down securely too. The compartment already removed and their two bags of other luggage already set alongside it. Cloud glances over at him as Andrea’s footsteps echo off the metal floor.</p><p>“Don’t mind Cid. He’s like that with everyone.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles. “It’s fine. He’s doing me an impossibly huge favour with this.”</p><p>Cloud hums, sounding unconvinced. Finishes cinching the last strap into place before he pushes back to his feet. Dips to grab his own bag as well as the attachment he’d pulled from Fenrir. Tucks it under one arm and jerks his head.</p><p>“C’mon.”</p><p>They head up another short ramp, Andrea keeping close to Cloud as they make their way through a series of windowless halls and automatic doorways. Andrea keeps a mental count in his head. A left here. Right there. Up this fight up steps. Builds himself a mental map- a useful skill he’d had drilled into his head growing up in the Market.</p><p>It’s not too far a distance before they hit a longer, wider hall. Doorways lining either side of it. Cloud turns into the first room on the left, revealing a simple, yet comfortable looking bunk room.</p><p>“You can bunk here or take one of the others.”</p><p>“You don’t mind sharing?”</p><p>“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Cloud says and Andrea smiles. True enough, whether Cloud means with him or his other companions. So Andrea happily sets down the luggage Tifa’d lent him for the trip and stretches. Digs out his phone to spy a message. “Ah. Leslie’s only a few minutes out.”</p><p>Cloud nods, unlatching the compartment and handing Andrea his carefully packed meal from Seventh Heaven. But as Andrea reaches to take it with a quiet thanks, Cloud keeps hold of it. A slightly odd look on his face. Andrea hums a question. Cloud shifts his weight, eyes darting to the dancers.</p><p>“You’ve...never been on a boat or anything either, right?”</p><p>“No. Why?”</p><p>Cloud’s faint frown twists a bit. Almost a grimace. He finally lets go of the package and lets Andrea take it.</p><p>“Try not to eat too much then. Shitty way to find out if you get motion sick.”</p><p>“Ah. I hadn’t thought of that.” Andrea replies with a blink. Not something he’s ever really encountered. Though he knows from accounts from a few of his Bee’s and clients alike that sometimes the trains back in Midgar would cause similar symptoms. “Sound advice, thank you.”</p><p>Cloud nods. Re-latching the container closed without touching his own parcel from Tifa. It twists something like worry through Andrea. Cloud not eating again. But it <em>is</em> early in the day, very early still. And truth be told his own appetite is fairly non-existent. Still. If he<em> does</em> happen to get sick, he’d rather it not be on an empty stomach. So he plucks out a few of the soft, buttery biscuits and also polishes off the rest of the thermos of tea.</p><p>There’s a crack of static through the quiet air and a moment later Cid’s now familiar voice rings through.</p><p>“<em>Yo finally got all ya in. Now get your asses on deck so we can get the hell outta here!</em>”</p><p>Andrea chuckles, far more charmed than anything by the pilot’s mannerisms. He wipes his fingers clean of crumbs and follows as Cloud heads out into the hallway once again. Cloud takes something of a detour. Catching Leslie in the hall and pointing him towards the sleeping quarters. Blessedly the silverette both looks and sounds far, <em>far</em> less upset than the last time they’d met in person. Andrea can’t help but feel that there’s still that odd, hovering caution in Cloud. Leslie seems just the tiniest bit skittish around the former SOLDIER himself. Hurrying along once he knows where he’s going and Cloud tells him how to reach the deck after he’s settled.</p><p>It’s a longer trip to get up to the ‘deck’. Several more long halls and ramping stairways. Past a room with a red door that’s making all kinds of rumbling noises. Another turn, through a door and all the sudden there’s sunlight once again. Pouring in from a fishbowl of windows that wrap all around the front of the ship. Instead of metal, their steps are marked by polished, pale wood.</p><p>“Get yourselves sorted?” Cid’s voice sounds from above them and Andrea’s gaze tracks up. Up the side of the patchwork wall to their right. To where Cid’s looking down at them, leaning on a waist high railing that seems to circle the platform. The brown bomber jacket he’d been wearing outside now tied around his waist. Cloud answers with a vague, affirming grunt and the pilot rolls his eyes. Pushing up again and vanishing from view once more.</p><p>“Well well! If it isn’t Cloud! How’ve you been laddie?”</p><p>Whatever Andrea’s expecting when he looks over towards the friendly voice, it isn’t at all what he finds. Then again, he’d wonder about his own sanity if he’d predicted finding a <em>cat</em>. Black and white, with a crooked golden crown, red cape and gloves. Standing with perfect, human-like ease on its booted hind paws.</p><p>He wonders if Cloud’s ‘friends’ are ever <em>not</em> going to surprise him?</p><p>“Fine.” Cloud answers the odd creature. The...cat? Claps its hands together in a muted thud. Rocking on its toes.</p><p>“That’s grand to hear! And who might ye be?”</p><p>Those crescented, perpetually smiling eyes turn towards the dancer. The lean tail lashing absently. With no reason not to just go along, Andrea dips his head in greeting.</p><p>“My name’s Andrea.”</p><p>“Andrea is it? Well it’s a pleasure te meet ye!” The cat replies. A bubbly enthusiasm nearly grating. “Ye can call me Cait Sith! I’m a fortune teller ye see. Would ye like me to do one for—”</p><p>“Cait. Not now.” Cloud cuts in. Voice just a touch sharp. The cat winces. Ears jerking flat just a moment before it nods. So vigorously Andrea’s surprised that the little crown of his doesn’t get dislodged.</p><p>“Right, right. Sorry, I get carried away.” Cait replies, sheepish as it rubs the back of its head. “Another time, perhaps?”</p><p>“Perhaps.” Andrea replies evenly. Still intrigued by the odd creature. He doesn’t <em>think </em>it’s any sort of monster. But it seems his questions will have to wait. The other shifting, a sense of anticipation hovering in the air.</p><p>“We still grabbin’ Vincent?” Cid calls down to Cloud from his place at the helm. Fussing with this or that before he grabs the large wheel before him. Cloud glances back at the pilot with a nod.</p><p>“Said he’d be by North Corel.”</p><p>“Then let’s get a move on then if we’re goin’ outta our way. Everybody grab on to somethin’ and try not to hurl.”</p><p>A distant sound rises into the air. Electric and surging. Building fast, louder. The ship around them lurches. Andrea, realizing Cid was quite serious about holding on before he ends up on his ass, braces himself against the platform as the world beyond the window starts to shrink. The horizon shifting higher and higher.</p><p>The breath catches in Andrea’s chest. Hovering just beneath the swell of wonder and awe that threatens to burst as that strange push of extra gravity levels off. Eases down. Still a sense that the world’s moving beneath his feet. But as with many things in life there’s still a rhythm to it. Though this one is a foreign thing. Like watching birds wheel overhead and wondering how they manage it.</p><p>They’re higher now than Edge’s tallest buildings. Hell, even Midgar’s remains seem smaller. Lesser, somehow. Even as the ship starts to coast towards them. Gliding through the air with a speed and ease that has Andrea’s insides feel a little like they’ve been displaced. Sinking towards his feet, where the soles tingle faintly.</p><p>Curious—cautious—Andrea edges forward. Easing past the strange glowing dome shaped implement in the floor. Vaguely registers that it appears to be a sort of map or <em>something</em> given the landmasses and massive bodies of water marked along its surface. His next step sounds almost hollow. Ringing in a different way to the clack of the floorboards. Andrea glances down, heart leaping in his throat when he realizes he’s not seeing the wood of the floor but open air. A terrifying stretch of <em>nothing</em> between him and the ground. Takes a quick step back and Cloud catches him. A steadying hand on his arm.</p><p>“Easy. There‘s glass.” Cloud’s too sweet to poke fun at him. Just helps him find his feet again. Sticks close as Andrea peers closer. Sure enough, though it’s near crystal clear, Andrea can see the thick plated glass standing between them and the earth racing past below their feet.</p><p>It’s unnerving.</p><p>Yet beautiful.</p><p>Too beautiful to let a brief wash of nerves diminish it. Still careful, Andrea takes a real step out onto the observation deck. Cloud’s grip on him slipping away as he moves too far. Midgar’s rushing closer and closer. Broken and forlorn and it’s the strangest thing Andrea’s ever felt. To look <em>down</em> upon the place he’d spent the whole of his life. To think that, only a few years ago, he was just some...some spec on the ground gazing up at the Plate. Never <em>truly</em> daring to dream he’d see the world above it. The sky above it.</p><p>Another twisting rush in his gut. Another feeling of smallness. But somehow this one’s less crushing. It still doesn’t fit him quite right. Still doesn’t take comfort in it. Not the way that Cloud does from the vastness of the world. But there <em>is</em> something to it that’s easier to stomach. To tuck down into the quiet well of his conviction.</p><p>It feels like no time at all before they’re leaving the once sprawling metropolis behind. Andrea hadn’t realized just how different—how <em>fast</em>–air travel was. Sure, he’d been told they’d cross the Planet in a meagre two days. But it hadn’t truly registered within him what that meant. But the dead and decayed wastelands below race past. A blur of dull brown, grey and cracked earth.</p><p>“This is incredible...” He says, near breathless with wonder. One hand pressed against the subtly curved glass of the window. Even as he says it he doesn’t feel the word does this moment, this <em>feeling</em> any justice at all. Cid laughs heartily behind them. A reminder that hauls Andrea at least <em>slightly</em> back out his head. Back to reality. Tears his gaze away from the beautiful horizon to glance behind him again.</p><p>Cid’s got a wide, near roguish grin plastered on his face. Standing tall and confident behind the wheel as he guides them smoothly through the air. Cloud’s retreated too. Leaning back against the platform Cid’s standing on. Andrea’s not entirely sure if Cloud’s gaze is on him or the world beyond. Arms folded over his chest. A distant sort of concentration to his gaze.</p><p>“You’re gawking like a damn fish outta water. And you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” Cid says around another chuckle. Shaking his head and rolling his eyes. Brusk though the words may be, Andrea gets the sense Cid enjoys showing this view of the world to others. Drags an echoing smile onto his own face reflexively.</p><p>“I’m sure I haven’t.” He replies, attention drawn inexplicably back out the window. Already he can start to see the faintest hints of greenery of life starting to blossom from the wastes. They haven’t even been in the air half an hour yet.</p><p>So fast. It’s all happening so damn fast—</p><p>There’s another brief lurch of the airship Andrea has to brace himself against. But they level out and settle quickly. Still heading for the ever distant horizon. Cloud makes some comment to Cid Andrea’s only half listening to. About how he’d apparently ‘fixed the stabilizers’ or something.</p><p>Far below there’s shapes. Skittering along the ground. Distant, formless. Andrea peers closer, as though that will make it easier to make out. Clicks after a moment.</p><p>“Do you ever have to worry about monsters up here?”</p><p>“Nope. The Shera’s fast enough- and loud enough- most of ‘em don’t get anywhere near her.” Cid replies without missing a beat, grin only growing sharper. “’Course if they <em>did</em> try anything she’s more ‘n equipped to deal with anything that comes her way.”</p><p>The idea’s thrilling. Fascinating. On some level, distantly terrifying. To think of some great machine that’s not only capable of crossing the world in a matter of days, but also capable of battle. Sure, beneath the Plate, on occasion, you’d see or hear one of Shinra’s helicopters passing overhead. But those weren’t anything like the Shera. Nothing Andrea’s ever encountered is anything like this ship.</p><p>The door into the deck hisses open. Andrea glances over his shoulder to find Leslie joining them at last. A brief breaks in the young man’s normally stoic expression, clearly just as caught off guard by the view as Andrea’s been.</p><p>More and more life blossoms across the earth beneath them. From this distance the dividing line between the havoc the reactor’s had wrought and the Planet herself seems so clear. A line dawn in the sand like some squabbling child trying to mark the place as ‘theirs’.</p><p>The thought as well as the imagery makes Andrea frown. From on high, the wastelands seem all the more cruel. Unnatural. Much more like a wound inflicted upon the Planet herself. Which...is rather the point. But somehow this moment puts that into far sharper relief.</p><p>There’s an odd sound. Like a whirl and droning hum. Andrea pulls away from the window and looks back. The dome shaped object is glimmering. Spinning slow with a few mechanical clicks.</p><p>“What is this anyway?” Andrea asks, peering at the glowing, orange-gold lines flickering and hovering over the surface of the dome. The tech is rather unlike anything he’s ever seen before. The lines though, they remind him just a little of the holograms they’d had installed back at the Inn. All part of the grand, flashy spectacle to entertain guests.</p><p>“’s a compass. Kinda.” Cloud replies. “Supposed to track shifts in air currents, location. All that.”</p><p>His voice sounds a little off. A sort of distant, even monotone. Yet clipped. Something just a touch heavy to his breath. Andrea glances up at the other. A frown flickering over his face. It’s not just Cloud’s voice. He <em>looks</em> off. Tense, almost pale. Andrea swears there’s the faintest shimmer of sweat on his brow.</p><p>“Cloud?” He asks, taking a step towards the blond. He’s not the only one either. At Andrea’s words, both Leslie and Cait, who’d been watching the view below, both turn. Cait hurries over, An odd flailing gait as he skitters to a halt not too far from blond.</p><p>“Laddie? Yer lookin’ awful grim.”</p><p>Cloud just seems to tuck further into himself. Shoulders hitching nearly to his ears. Brow furrowed and it all just somehow makes him look even worse. His jaw set in a way that feels like he’s trying to stop himself from speaking. There’s a hiss and a click. A few footsteps before Cid peers down over the edge of the platform himself.</p><p>“Hey. The hell’s goin’-.”</p><p>Something flickers through Cid’s eyes as he gets a look at Cloud. Too fast for Andrea to place it before the man’s thwacking a hand down on the metal. The sound ringing through the air.</p><p>“Ah for fuck sake—quit dickin’ around and get outta here.” Andrea sees Cloud flinch. But he nods stiffly and turns to head off the deck. A swiftness to his gait that makes Andrea’s stop in but a handful of steps. Worry churning absently in his stomach. The hiss of the door echoes beneath Cid’s next grumble. “Dumbass.”</p><p>“The hell’s that about?” Leslie asks, staring off towards the door Cloud’d vanished through.</p><p>“What he ain’t told ya?” Cid says, sounding supremely uninterested as he fusses with the panel of levers and buttons that sits alongside the wheel. “Kid gets damn queasy on ships ‘n the like.”</p><p>Andrea feels a faint lurch in his own stomach at the thought. The uncertainty that’d pinned him in place vanishing as he hurries after Cloud. Hurries past the now rumbling engine room and down the steps. Proud of himself for <em>not</em> getting lost.</p><p>Cloud’s curled up into a tiny helpless ball on the bed. Arms wrapped around his stomach, knees up to his chest. The early morning sunlight’s filtering in weakly through the windows. But even that faint light highlights the heavier sheen of sweat marking his skin. Darkening the edges of his hair. A faint tremor running through him.</p><p>“Sweetheart?”</p><p>Cloud lurches up. Wide startled eyes turning towards Andrea. His lips part, like he’s going to speak. But instead Cloud’s voice gets cut off. A sudden, sharp pinch of distress on his face, what little color’s still there draining away as Cloud’s jaw clenches.</p><p>Oh. Andrea knows that look. Immediately he glances around. Grabs the first container shaped <em>thing</em> he can and hurries over. Slides it carefully down before Cloud’s face and helps support the other’s shoulders as he hunches over it with a groan.</p><p>The dancer’s heart clenches at the miserable sound and gentle heave of Cloud’s body. A near silent struggle as one of Cloud’s hands curls into the bedding. A faint tremble to them, hovering through the rest of him too. Stills only when the whole him tenses with another quiet wretch.</p><p>This certainly explains why Cloud likes to drive himself everywhere. And his advice earlier. God this poor boy. What a miserable thing to suffer from.</p><p>“Shh easy...easy darling. I’ve got you.” Andrea murmurs. His hands are still cold from being pressed against the glass so Andrea’ carefully lays one against the back of Cloud’s clammy neck. Feels the faint shiver ripple down his spine. But there’s just the slightest edge of relief beneath the next sound he makes.</p><p>It takes several more long, painful minutes before Cloud finally quiets. Calms. A muted, weary curse rasping into the air. Andrea gently tugs one of the pillows down and tucks it comfortably beneath Cloud’s head as the other shifts back down. Andrea gently brushes sweat damp hair from Cloud’s cheeks. Cloud’s hazy eyes peel themselves open slowly. Glancing up at Andrea and the dancer meets him with a gentle smile.</p><p>Blessedly the canteen’s still within reach from Andrea’s hasty breakfast. So the dancer snags it up. Unscrews the cap and brings it close to Cloud’s lips.</p><p>“Here. Drink a little if you can.”</p><p>Cloud takes a small sip, but uses it to rinse his mouth instead. Probably smart, though Andrea can see it’s not much more than water and bile in the container anyway. After that he does manage to coax the blond into a few more careful drinks. If only to make sure he’s not getting sick on an entirely empty stomach if it happens again.</p><p>“Do you take anything to help...?” Andrea asks. Voice a low, even register. Knows how his head pounds after being sick. Though more often than not that’s been due to an excess of alcohol. Not something like this. Though being ill is being ill and he can’t imagine Cloud’s head’s doing all that well. Especially given how long it takes him to find an answer to Andrea’s question.</p><p>“Uh...sometimes? There’s.” Cloud’s rasping voice cuts off with a swallow. The blond hovering in place. Trembling just a little before he breathes out again, squeezing his eyes shut. “Ginger. Under the sink.”</p><p>Andrea carefully eases off the bed not to jostle the other much. Putters off towards the small adjacent ‘bathroom’. Little more than a toilet and sink. Andrea wonders if they have bathing facilities on board anywhere. They may, given the sink is functional. But the logistics of any of it makes his head spin and frankly one of them being down for the count is more than enough. So instead Andrea rifles through the small cupboard. It’s any easy thing to find what he assumes in the ginger. A small bag of crystallized amber.</p><p>Cloud’s sipping carefully at the water again when Andrea returns. A quiet relief in his gaze when he passes one of them over. Cloud takes with a shaky hand and shakier “Thanks.”. Presses the amber candy between pale lips. Settles down with a low, quiet sigh. Andrea busy himself with cleaning up the mess. Dumping and cleaning the bowl. Layering it with a few rags he finds. Returns it within easy reach of either of them on the bed as he settles in alongside Cloud once more</p><p>“You could’ve said something sooner.” Andrea says, not chiding. Just worried as he gently wipes the sweat from Cloud’s face. Still much too pale. Makes those awful circles around his eyes all the starker. Cloud gives the tiniest shake of his head. Even that has him flinching. A fresh wash of discomfort over his face.</p><p>“Not always this bad. Just been a while.”</p><p>Andrea hums, not quite understanding. But it’s enough to assume Cloud hadn’t known he was going to get <em>this</em> ill. Still stings Andrea’s chest more than a bit. A rush of concern, yet also a strange kind of gratitude. That Cloud was willing to risk such a thing. Just to come along. Just to help Andrea with all of this.</p><p>He dips. Presses his lips gently to Cloud’s temple. Hovers there, breathing the other in. Doesn’t care about the faint scent of sick or spice of ginger. The sharp bite of mako. Doesn’t matter to him, because it’s still Cloud. He reaches blindly to trace along Cloud’s arm till he finds his hands. Trails his fingers along the back of it until Cloud lets him slip between his.</p><p>To be honest, Andrea’s surprised how quiet it is. Oh certainly he can still hear the sound of the engine, the chop of the propeller blades helping to keep them afloat. But for how much technological wizardry it must take to keep them airborne, it’s no louder than it’d be back at the apartment. Perhaps even quieter. The sound of the world so far away.</p><p>Cloud still feels a bit too clammy for Andrea’s liking. Can feel something like fever-heat hovering in his brow. Sitting back a little and with his free hand, Andrea grips the silver pull of Cloud’s shirt zipper tugging at it slowly. The blond starts, eyes flashing towards Andrea.</p><p>“What’re you—”</p><p>Andrea stills his hand, squeezing Cloud’s he watches the blond’s face.</p><p>“Cooling you down might help a bit.” He explains. Here’s the quiet ‘Oh.’ in Cloud’s next sigh as the blond nods. Andrea takes the silent permission to unzip it the rest of the way. Parting the heavy material away from Cloud’s skin to let the air get at him properly. With some very careful shifting and tugging they get Cloud free from it entirely. Though even that much motion has Cloud curling in on himself with a groan.</p><p>The pale shadows fall against Cloud’s skin. Wrapping like a poor blanket around the lean lines of him. It’s another brief stab at Andrea, as it always is, looking at Cloud. Seeing the too sharp curvature of his ribs. The knobs of his spine. It doesn’t seem any worse than the last time, but it certainly doesn’t seem any <em>better</em> either. Though all of this probably doesn’t help at all. The shallow, careful breaths Cloud’s taking. The near bloodless hue of his skin.</p><p>Andrea pushes back that bite of worry in him again. Other things to focus on right now and fussing about Cloud’s appetite when the other’s trying so hard to keep in what little’s in him right now would be a miserable idea.</p><p>It’s certainly cooler in the air than it was on the ground, which is saying something, given how brisk the morning had been. The day’s drifting towards noon by now and it’s not really being reflected by the temperature. But it’s not unpleasant and more to the point it seems to have at least a little effect on Cloud. Andrea glances around the room.</p><p>“I take it the windows don’t open.”</p><p>“They do. Bad idea up here.”</p><p>Andrea hums in understanding. Eases off the bed again as makes his way back towards the sink. He’d spotted a few terry clothes and such stashed away so he digs a few out and wets one down with cool water. Andrea kicks off his shoes and crawls up onto the bed alongside the blond. Settling carefully alongside him. Tries not to be too close to avoid his own body heat adding to Cloud’s problem. Just tries to dab the worst of the sweat from Cloud’s skin and get him to uncurl a little more.</p><p>Cloud does, but it’s a slow process. A few times where he drags the bowl closer to him in shivering anticipation of another wave of nausea. Andrea doesn’t know whether to be grateful he doesn’t actually vomit again. The dry heaves and quakes look somehow even more painful. Andrea’s stomach cramping in sympathy. A grimace on the dancer’s face that he fights off. Busying himself with talking to Cloud softly or cleaning the sweat from his brow again. Massaging the back of his neck and shoulders in a bid to get too tense muscles to relax between fits.</p><p>It’s probably an hour or more before Cloud finally seems to have settled properly again. No longer hunched in on himself. Bowl pushed back away from him and another of the ginger candies dissolved on his tongue.</p><p>“You don’t gotta be in here.” Cloud says after a few moments of long quiet. Sounds steadier. Stabler. Andrea glances towards his face, arching a brow. A small frown hovering in the corner of his lips.</p><p>“And leave you be when you’re not well?”</p><p>Cloud’s brow pinches finely as he lets out a quiet breath. “You’re not. Just be sleeping. Really’d rather waste your time here than out there?”</p><p>“You’re not a waste.” Andrea interjects. Perhaps a touch too sharp. Cloud grunts, one blue green eye narrowing as Cloud peers at him.</p><p>“You know what I mean.”</p><p>Andrea does, but that doesn’t change the fact he hates it when Cloud talks of himself so dismissively. Still, he doesn’t want to hover and make Cloud feel like he can’t rest if that’ll help. But he <em>also</em> doesn’t want Cloud to feel like he’s being left to suffer alone, so—</p><p>“Where’s your phone?”</p><p>“Uh. My bag. I think?”</p><p>Andrea fishes it out after a moment of searching. Checks the charge and makes sure that the sound is set to vibrate so it won’t bother Cloud much if he manages sleep. Heads back over to rest it on the bed within easy reach.</p><p>“I’ll keep mine on me if you need anything.” Andrea says, making a bit of a show tucking it back into his pocket so Cloud knows for sure he’s got it. The expression on the blond’s face is a bit hard to name. Soft, yet sharp. A genuine light in those pretty eyes that makes Andrea’s heart clench even before the word leaves his lips.</p><p>“...Thanks.”</p><p>“Of course.” Andrea replies. A tender, worried smile hovering on his lips as he reaches up to brush Cloud’s hair off his brow. Rests it there again his skin a moment. He does seem a little better, at least compared to when Andrea’d found him. “Try to get some rest, hmm?”</p><p>Cloud makes a low, vague grunt of a sound. Nodding carefully. Heavy eyes already flickering down to mere slits. Andrea hovers a moment or two more. Fingers brushing the air just above Cloud’s cheek. Gets to his feet and checks one final time that most everything Cloud may need is in easy reach. Water, bucket, a few of the ginger candies. Hovers again before rolling his eyes at himself and carefully shuffling out of the room. Flinching a little at the hiss of the door as he steps into the hall.</p><p>He finds himself not <em>quite</em> ready to return to the deck and the others just yet. So he pokes around in the other rooms. Find Leslie’s taken up the one across the hall from them. The other four are all empty, but neat. A uniform lay out to most of them, rather like a hotel, Andrea supposes. The door that sits at the very back of the hall won’t open. A red light flashing above it and a sharp ‘error’ noise ringing through the air that makes Andrea flinch.</p><p>Curious though he is, Andrea’s no wish to go getting lost aboard the vessel with its maze of halls and spaces. So he sticks to what he’s packed away into his memory. Drifting between the sleeping quarters and the far larger ‘bunker’ they’d entered. There, the sound of the ship is far louder. He can hear the sound of the air screaming past the exit. Fenrir’s shaking a little, rattling with noise at the far more tumultuous vibrations and shifts compared to deeper inside the Shera. But the bike’s well secured, as are the other things around the room.</p><p>Finally running out of comfortable places to go and with no word from Cloud, Andrea heads back to the deck to join the others. He nearly stumbles, not from another shiver of the airship, but from the sight that greets him beyond the window.</p><p>Blue. A vast, endless, perfect expanse of blue as damn near far as the eye can see. Deeper than the pale blue sky above them, filled with thick clouds like cotton. Birds with white feathers wheel above the waves below them.</p><p>They’ve reached the ocean.</p><p>“How’s the kid?”</p><p>Cid’s voice breaks Andrea out of his quiet stupor. He glances up at the pilot, still dutifully hovering behind the wheel. His paler blue eyes dart towards the dancers briefly.</p><p>“He’s resting.”</p><p>The grunt Cid makes in answers sounds dismissive, but Andrea catches the way his shoulders loosen a bit. It makes the dancer smile, if only to himself. For all Cloud knows some interesting people, their apparent care for him—and Cloud’s for them—is something that puts Andrea’s heart at ease. He admits that he worries. Cloud seems so...alone at times. To know that he isn’t, that he has support, it’s a relief.</p><p>Leslie’s still on deck. Settled down on the ground, leaning against the front of the platform. Andrea wanders over to join him. He can’t spot Cait Sith and supposes the odd creature’s wandered off somewhere. Andrea frowns a moment, hoping it’s not gone to bother Cloud.</p><p>“So what’s the plan?” Leslie asks, dragging Andrea’s attention back.</p><p>“Well, getting there for one.” Andrea says with a shrug. “But after that, the Madame’s put me in contact with one of her people on the ground. They’ve been keeping eyes and ears out for any hit of movement. And by their report there hasn’t been anything. That could be good, or bad, but we won’t know till we land.”</p><p>After what’d happened in Midgar all those years ago, Andrea’s not willing to bet on any side of the coin. The Don’s too good at finding bolt holes. Of disappearing. And that was in a city with eyes in the damn walls.</p><p>Still, he doesn’t know what it is, but something tells him the Don’s waiting. On what the dancer’s not sure. Perhaps him. To see whether the implicit threat of Andrea’s space being so invaded would scare him off or not.</p><p>“If it’s good then we track him down and put an end to this.”</p><p>“And if it’s not?” Leslie says and by his tone alone Andrea knows that’s the outcome the other’s expecting. With past experience on his side, Andrea can’t say he blames the young man either.</p><p>“Then we find his hiding and raid it for whatever we can. Information and otherwise.”</p><p>“Wait.” There’s a quiet kind of outrage to Leslie’s voice as he jerks to stare at Andrea. “You don’t want to go after <em>him</em>?”</p><p>“I never said that—”</p><p>“The hell’re you two gabbin’ about?” Cid’s voice cuts into their conversation. “This about that loon y’all ‘re after?”</p><p>“Shouldn’t you be driving?”</p><p>“The hell you take me for? An idiot? The Shera’s got enough of an auto-pilot on her to keep a straight course till we hit Costa.”</p><p>“Ever heard of a man named Don Corneo?”</p><p>“Nope. Sounds like a fuckin’ bastard from what Spike was sayin’ though.”</p><p>“He’s certainly that.” Andrea replies with a nod. Wonders absently what exactly Cloud’d told Cid. Hell, told any of his companions. Supposes it doesn’t really matter in the long run. Honestly Andrea’s just grateful and impressed Cloud’s more or less rallied the troops for this.</p><p>“So what’s the fuss about?”</p><p>“Just thought we were on the same page.” Leslie replies with a mutter, gripping the brim of his hat. Dragging it to shadow his face as he braces his forearms against his knees. Andrea sighs.</p><p>“We are, Leslie.” He assures the younger man. Doubts he’s in the mood to listen or believe him. Not at the moment. But at least it’s been said. Andrea turns his attention back up to Cid. “I’ve just got concerns that he may have escaped where we tracked him to.”</p><p>“Ain’t no use gettin’ grey hairs over it till we get there. So quit yer bitchin’ and c’mere.”</p><p>With a surprising amount of grace Cid vaults himself off the platform to the floor beside them. Fusses with his goggles and jerks his head as he heads off towards the door.</p><p>It’s a strange kind of anxiety nestling in Andrea’s gut as they leave the bridge unattended. But he’s also not about to call Cid’s expertise into question. That seems like too much of an insult to the man who, by Andrea’s understanding, is the only pilot of his calibre in the world. So he and Leslie follow along as Cid leads them off into the Shera.</p><p>They don’t go that far all thing considered. At least. Not in the time it takes to get there. Andrea hasn’t the foggiest idea how far they go. Just tracks the turns, doors and up and downs and adds them to his slow growing mental map.</p><p>The room they duck into is surprisingly homey. Reminds Andrea, just a little, of the interior of Seventh Heaven. Wooden tables and chairs. Seems like some sort of miniature mess hall. The air warm with a delicious scent.</p><p>“Oi! Shera!”Cid calls loudly. Andrea has all of a moment to think Cid’s talking to the <em>ship</em> when another voice calls back.</p><p>“Just a minute!”</p><p>Cid <em>humphs</em> and parks himself in one of the chairs at the table. With no real other options, Leslie and Andrea join him. There’s some shuffling from the adjacent room Andrea’s noted branching off of one of the walls. A moment later a woman steps out, wiping her hands off on a towel. Her wide rimmed glasses make her hazel-brown eyes seem all the wider. Auburn hair pulled back from her face and the sleeves of her dandelion yellow button down rolled up to her elbows.</p><p>“Oh! Hello. You must be our guests.”</p><p>“Buncha nervous goddamn nellies is what they are. Fix ‘em up a cup a tea and see if ya can get ‘em mellowed out.” Andrea blinks, can’t help the side eye he casts Cid at his curt tone.</p><p>“Sure thing.” Shera chimes. Evidently unbothered, or at the very least used to Cid. “Would you like one too?”</p><p>“The hell you think?”</p><p>Feels like no time at all Shera’s returning to them with a tray laden with a full tea set. Four cups and saucers. Sugar and cream and a rather pretty teapot with delicate bird designs painted across its surface. She sets it down with a gentle rattle, passing things out.</p><p>“Where’s Cloud?”</p><p>“Sick.” Cid replies, taking a slow sip of his tea. Shera’s expression takes a sympathetic twist.</p><p>“Oh, yes of course. Poor dear. I’ll take some to him later.”</p><p>Andrea helps himself to a bit of cream. A rather rare treat all things told. Impressive to find it so high above the world. Shera glances between Andrea and Leslie with a slightly conspiratorial grin.</p><p>“We’ve got booze too if you want. Cid’s banned while he’s flying.”</p><p>“Ha-fuckin’-ha.” Cid mutters, but it’s lacking a bit of his typical bite.</p><p>“He’s lucky to have you keeping an eye out.” Andrea says, happily taking a sip of the delicious, minty flavoured tea. Leslie takes the woman up on her offer of something stronger. She sets plates of delicate, but hearty rolls stuffed with meat, cheese and lines thin sliced veggies before them.</p><p>Shera joins them happily once they’re all settled in. Striking up easy, lively conversation as they swap stories as it were. Shera turns out to be a researcher. Former Shinra employee who’d been tasked with getting a <em>rocket</em> into <em>space</em>. The idea’s enough to boggle the mind. The airship alone has been an experience Andrea has no words for. He can’t begin to imagine going somehow <em>beyond</em> the sky itself. Up to dance among the stars.</p><p>He’d call it impossible, but. Well. Something stays his tongue.</p><p>Cid finishes his own cup rather quickly, but it does seem to have soothed at least a little of the man’s usual prickliness. Enough he catches Shera with an arm around her shoulder. Tugs her against his side and mutters a gruff “Thanks.” into her hair before he heads off with quick, loping strides. Andrea observes them with interest. He’d keyed into something being between the two. Especially given the fact Cid’s apparently named the ship after her.</p><p>It’s oddly sweet. Perhaps as sweet as a person like Cid can be.</p><p>Shera offers to send some food along for Cloud, but Andrea declines gently. After how miserable the blond’d been Andrea doesn’t want to aggravate that. Shera’s understanding enough, tells him to send Cloud her way if that changes.</p><p>Andrea heads back towards the bridge. Leslie’d split off a while ago after finishing lunch. Andrea assumes he’s probably ended back up at the bunks. After spending the time with Shera, chatting and helping her clean up, it’s been a few hours. Indeed, as he steps onto the bridge, the expanse of ocean blue is still there, but on the horizon he can see the vague shape of the continent growing closer and closer. An expanse of sand, grasslands and towering mountain ranges.</p><p>Apparently the break put Cid in more of a talkative mood. He points Andrea towards one of the twin terminals set against the sides of the deck. Talks and eventually comes down to point out how to work it. Teaching Andrea how to pull up the map feature and how to find their current location. It’s honestly incredible and Andrea devours the information scrolling before his eyes. A few names of nearby towns and villages jumping out, but others places he’s never heard of.</p><p>They cross over a rather sprawling vista of a town—“<em>That’s good ol Costa.</em>”-- surrounded by golden sanded beaches kissed by azure waves. Aiming towards the spine of jagged mountains ahead of them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Andi and Cloud's little dance in the garage was H E A V I L Y inspired by the absolutely wonderful fic <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26133166"> "August 16th at the Honeybee Inn (One Year Later)"</a> written by our very own <em> neon </em>. If you haven't given it a read yet I highly HIGHLY recommend doing so. It is an absolute treat and their Andi is legitimately my fav. ;) &lt;3</p><p>Molly-Thumper was the name creation of two of the lovlies in the Rhife!Discord. So thank you to CervusDeer and nachtmaredoll for the brain boost! &lt;3</p><p>Until next time~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Flying High</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Aaaaaand <em>this</em> is part two of why our dearest, darling, wonderful Avasti is the actual certifiable best and why I once again ask that you leave a little love for them in the comments &lt;3 Because ORIGINALLY my batshit mad brain spit out the entirety of chapter 37 and 38 as one chapter. Meaning it was <strong> 26 Thousand</strong> words long. Avasti not only edited ALL OF IT in less than two days but also helped me find a place to split them in two. So what can I say except they are incredible and I'm so damn blessed to have them as my beta! &lt;3</p><p>Anyway! Happiest of Valentine's days my dear readers! (Funny, it was not AT ALL planned this way but guess who shows up this chapter ;) ). So if the 'traditional V-tines day isn't your thing than maybe just consider it Vincent day? lolol. Thank you as ever for the love and support you show this story. We're so close now to the end of Andi's little mini-saga as it were- and so much more to come for him and Cloud. &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hmm. Don’t like the look of them clouds.”Cid’s been eyeing the sky ahead off and on as has Andrea. A mass of a dark storm head that only seems to grow. Cid frowns. Scoops up the radio attachment from the desk and hollers into it. “Ey, Spike! Get yer ass to the bridge. We’re just about there.”</p><p>“He's resting.” Andrea says, unable to keep the bite from his voice. Eyes narrowing at the way Cid shrugs.</p><p>“Well I ain’t runnin’ all the way down there, so tough shit. He don’t need a damn nanny.”</p><p>Andrea hovers. Wonders if he ought to run down and find Cloud. But before he gets more than a few steps, the door opens to admit Cloud. He still looks pale, but nowhere near the mess he’d been a few hours ago. It’s a relief that sinks Andrea’s shoulders. Though he does worry that being on the bridge might trigger another bout. But if he’s worried about that, Cloud doesn’t show it. Instead he looks as miffed by the encroaching storm as Cid’d been.</p><p>“Can we get ahead of it? Make it to Corel?” He asks their pilot and the man grins. Wide and sharp from his place at the helm once more.</p><p>“’Course we can. Question is, you gonna keep your lunch this time?”</p><p>Cloud rolls his eyes and Andrea follows his lead when the blond settles on the ground. It makes sense near immediately. The sound of the ship suddenly roars and Andrea knows it’s not from the storm. Not when, with a lurch, their speed near doubles. Cloud catches Andrea’s shoulder as the sudden force sends him swaying.</p><p>It should be terrifying, watching the mountains draw closer and closer. Feels like they’re about to collide with a solid rock wall. But clearly Cloud’s not worried in the slightest, and something about his calm settles over Andrea as the dancer scoots closer along the floor. Settles in close.</p><p>“It’s not just a compass.”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea blinks at Cloud. Slightly confused by the non-sequitur. Cloud gestures towards the dome.</p><p>“Earlier. You asked what it was. It’s technically an observatory.”</p><p>“Observatory? What’s that?”</p><p>“It creates images. Holograms I guess? Cid doesn’t use it for that much though. But you can see the stars and stuff. Fills the whole room.”</p><p>Andrea wonders if he’ll get the chance to see it before everything’s said and done. He hopes so. That sounds incredible. He glances up the curve of the platform, but can’t see Cid from where they’re seated.</p><p>“Did he build it?”</p><p>“Mm mm.” Cloud shakes his head. “The Shera’s not his.”</p><p>“<em>Oi</em>!”</p><p>Cid’s sudden, loud, irate voice breaks the quiet. Andrea flinches slightly, but Cloud just rolls his eyes.</p><p>“I <em>mean</em> he didn’t build it from scratch. Not like the Highwind. They found it in some old ruins. He just fixed her up.”</p><p>“<em>Hmph</em>. Did a fuck load more than ‘fix her up’, little shit.”</p><p>“‘s why it took you three years to get your balancers configured, right?”</p><p>“I’ll drop you outta the damn bay doors Strife, just see if I don’t!”</p><p>Cloud hums, non-committal and very unconvinced. Andrea can’t help staring at the blond a bit. He knows Cloud’s got more than a sharp tongue on him. But the banter’s certainly surprising. Cloud being, well, a little shit just for apparent sake of it. Andrea wonders absently what it says about him that he finds it so charming. Still, it does feel a little unusual and once Cid stops throwing barbs back and forth to focus on guiding them over the peaks Cloud goes quiet too. Head leaning back against the wall, fingers twisting absently between his knees.</p><p>Ah. Talking must be giving Cloud something to focus on. Andrea’s happy to oblige if that’s the case. Especially if it’ll keep Cloud from being bedridden again.</p><p>“Cloud, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”</p><p>“What?” Two toned eyes drop to his. A cute tilt to his head as he peers at Andrea.</p><p>“Would you be willing to run a few drills with me?” Clearly that’s not what Cloud expected. Blinks and waits for Andrea to continue. “It’s been a rather long time since I’ve had to fight, but I wouldn’t put it past Corneo to have his usual lackeys in place. Frankly, I’d rather not walk into this feeling quite so rusty.”</p><p>“Shoulda brought Tifa. Hand to hand’s way more her thing.”</p><p>Andrea chuckles. He’s seen at least a little of Tifa’s exceptional prowess on that hand. And it was stunning, but he’s also not anywhere <em>near</em> her level.</p><p>“I don’t need fancy. I need to make sure I remember how to throw a proper punch.”</p><p>Cloud huffs, a flicker of amusement on his face. But still Andrea’s heart leaps in quiet excitement as he nods. “Sure.”</p><p>Andrea forgets himself and where they are a moment. Only remembers <em>after</em> he’s swooped in to kiss Cloud’s sweetly freckled check. After Cloud’s eyes flash and dart to him. Something startled in their depths and the faint heat that suddenly rises beneath his skin. Andrea grins quietly. Only just keeps himself from kissing Cloud again in apology. That’d probably be the opposite of helpful at the moment.</p><p>“Sorry.” He murmurs. Touched when Cloud ducks his head, glancing away. Shakes his head even though Andrea can’t see his eyes through the fall of his hair. Andrea settles back in his place. Gazing back out towards the window. Stunned, as it seems he always will be, at the sheer beauty of the world beyond it.</p><p>Cid guides them with impressive speed and control over the rest of the range. Slowly sinking them down into the long valley nestled between it and next. Cloud’s been quiet a while. Gazing off towards the west. Something almost melancholy hovering just beneath the careful blankness of his face. Andrea quietly wracks his brain. Trying to recall where they were on the map. What lay around them.</p><p>When it clicks, Andrea struggles a moment to find the words. Debates if he should even ask. But can’t bring himself to not at least try. Tries to keep his voice light. Tries not to pry, but he’s curious.</p><p>“Nibelheim’s on the other side of those mountains. Isn’t it?”</p><p>“Mm.”</p><p>Andrea reaches out, gently grips Cloud wrist. Finally gets Cloud looking away from the mountains. Cloud must catch the concern Andrea’s trying to bottle. Sighs and shakes his head. “’m fine. It was a long time ago.”</p><p>Andrea squeezes Cloud’s hand gently. Trying to offer silent support. What little Cloud’s shared with him of what happened is more than enough to paint an awful picture of what Cloud’d lost. Sure, perhaps time has dulled it’s edges, but still. Even with three years now sitting between Andrea and Meteorfall, the loss of his home and all he’d known is an ache. Cloud’d been so much younger when it’d happened from what Andrea understands.</p><p>Cloud seems to understand. Despite that shuttered expression in his eyes. There’s the briefest flicker of one of Cloud’s smiles in the corner of his lips.</p><p>“We’re coming up on Corel.” Cid calls down. Cloud nods like he’d expected it and gets to his feet with a languid stretch. “You pickin’ him up?”</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>“Good. I’ll drop you close. Be quick or the storm’ll catch up.”</p><p>“Copy.”</p><p>Cloud hurries off and Andrea debates following. But Cid just tells him to ‘sit the hell down’ as he starts the apparent landing procedures. Andrea decides to submit to the man’s expertise and settles again. Glad he does because while he imagines it's about as smooth as Cid can make it, the Shera still jostles and lurches a fair bit. Before long the ship goes silent all around them. A hollow, echoing void and Andrea realizes just how much noise has actually been in the air now that it’s gone. The smell of smoke brushes his nose and he catches the sound of Cid coming down the steps. Andrea climbs to his feet and follows the pilot towards the window. The man jerks his chin towards the ground.</p><p>“He’ll be showin’ up any minute.</p><p>Sure enough a moment later he sees the dark streak of Cloud across the ground below. Racing away from them at his usual breakneck speeds. Heading towards a tree line and a distant path up into the mountains Andrea’s only just noticed.</p><p>“Any luck, Vince’ll have been keepin’ an eye out for us and we can get outta here. If not. We’ll have to wait the storm out.”</p><p>“I see.”</p><p>“I’m takin’ a nap. Tell Cloud to call me once they get back.”</p><p>“Of course. Thank you Cid.”</p><p>The man grumbles around a yawn and stalks off. Outside the sky is darkening rapidly. The storm already nipping at their heels again. Darkening everything beyond into a deep grey shadow. Andrea feels <em>very</em> odd being the only one in the bridge. So he’s quick to follow in Cid’s wake. Runs into Leslie in the hall on the way back to the bunks.</p><p>“We’re not there already, are we?”</p><p>“No. Cloud’s picking up another person to help us.”</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>“Haven’t the faintest idea. Outside the fact his name’s Vincent.”</p><p>“Well, that’s helpful.” Leslie sighs. But it's his usual level of despondency. Andrea hums.</p><p>“Indeed. They don’t have to be doing any of this after all.”</p><p>Hazel eyes flicker to his and Leslie stares a moment. That lingering tension in his shoulders gives as he nods.</p><p>“Right..” Leslie fusses with his cap again. His other hand curled into a loose fist at his side. Ah. There’s a familiar, thin golden chain dangling between his fingers. The man sighs. “I’m sorry, Andrea. I’m just. Ready for this shit to be over.”</p><p>“I know. I am too.” Andrea reaches out. Rests a hand on Leslie’s shoulder firmly. “But we’re almost there.”</p><p>Leslie nods, the motion a bit stiff. Andrea’s not surprised in the least that Leslie splits off from him. Probably wants to be alone with his thoughts. Andrea just hopes that he doesn’t let them cloud his judgment when the time comes.</p><p>He makes his way back to his and Cloud's shared room. The room still has a faint, lingering sickly scent and since they’re no longer flying, Andrea fusses with the window until he can get it cracked open. With the scent of on coming rain wafting in, Andrea sprawls back on the second bed. They’re comfortable. Far more homey than he’d expected for sure.</p><p>He doesn’t quite fall asleep. But he does doze. Strange to him that he feels so tired when, really, he’s done practically nothing all day. Still, he supposes the stress of yesterday’s lingering and his broken nights of sleep beforehand likely aren’t helping.</p><p>Eventually a great flash of light and peel of thunder outside jolts Andrea from his rest. Send him lurching up onto his elbows, eyes wide as he glances towards the window. Oh, there’s a sound of rain thundering down outside. Plinking off the metal of the Shera’s body in a brutal rhythm. Hopping up off the bed Andrea wanders over to gaze out. Stares in quiet wonder at the way the world is a smear of color being washed into vague shapes by the rain.</p><p>A sort of childish, wondrous delight blossoms in Andrea’s chest again. Feels like the umpteenth time today alone. But he hurries out of the room to chase it. Dashes towards the hangar bay. As he goes, a quiet worry bubbles up. Hopes that Cloud had made it back before getting caught up in the mess outside.</p><p>That bubble of concern is popped near instantly as he steps into the hangar and his eyes land on Cloud’s blessedly familiar form beside Fenrir. Seems like he hadn’t<em> quite</em> escaped the storm given the water logged nature of his clothes. Water dripping gently from the ends of his spikes. Making them fall endearingly around his face. Charmed, Andrea smiles as he steps further into the room.</p><p>“Welcome back!” He calls<em>,</em> Cloud glancing over towards him at the sound. Andrea raises a hand in greeting. “I see dear Fenrir didn’t quite move you quick enough, hmm? Were you able to find—”</p><p>The question dies on Andrea’s tongue. Trapped there in a rush of something he can’t name. But almost tastes of bitter, biting, animal <em>fear</em> as a pair of blood-red eyes turn to him. Unblinking from a pale, porcelain mask of a face and long strands of draping raven hair.</p><p>He has the sudden, strange, inexplicable feeling that he’s not standing in the room with another human being.</p><p>But something...</p><p>Else.</p><p>That feeling is not helped in the slightest by the strange aura hovering in the air. Nips at the edges of Andrea’s nerves. Tugging at them and he can’t help but feel that’s the same thing that’s causing the tattered cape blanketing the other to shift. Like it’s being plucked at by some invisible wind.</p><p>The strangest part perhaps, is that Andrea can’t get a read on the unnerving feeling plaguing the back of his mind. Can’t seem to parse if it’s a sense of danger or not. Could be any number of reasons for that. Could be that Cloud’s right there, busy working away at Fenrir. Could be that this new figure doesn't seem at all like he intends to cause harm.</p><p>Just hovering there. Watching. Those unnerving, unnaturally red eyes peering at him still. The wane light in the bay glints off the clawed, golden gauntlet covering his left hand. The wicked, near talon like fingers flexing idle against the ebony leather that makes up most of the rest of his attire.</p><p>“You must be Andrea.”</p><p>The low voice that slips past the edge of the cape’s high collar is all at once exactly what Andrea’d expected and not at all what he’d thought. A gentle gravel to those words as if this man has not spoken in days.</p><p>“I—. Y-yes.” Andrea bites the end of his tongue and shoves the stammer far away where it belongs. Offers the other man a far more appropriate smile. Cordial, if curious. “And you’re Vincent?”</p><p>Vincent nods. A single, almost serene motion. Shifts his weight. Arms falling from their loose fold to vanish beneath the crimson cape.</p><p>“Where can I find Cid?”</p><p>“Dunno. I’d guess either his room or with Shera.” Cloud chimes in. Slipping into their ‘conversation’ easy as anything. A smile flickers over Andrea’s face. Trust Cloud to be rather oblivious to the oddity hanging in the air.</p><p>“He said he was going to rest. Told you to wake him when you got back.”</p><p>“No point. Cid won’t risk flying when he can’t see more ‘n two feet. Might as well let him sleep.” Cloud, finally satisfied with how Fenrir’s lashed down, gets to his feet. Vincent turns his head to look at the blond this time.</p><p>“Reeve here?”</p><p>“Passenger bay’s my guess.” Cloud says, a small jerk of his head towards the door leading into the Shera proper. With that Vincent’s gone and Andrea feels faintly like his centre has been knocked a hair’s width out of balance. There’s a firm touch to his arm. Cloud’s got that sweet furrow between his eyes. Far more confusion in them than worry though.</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea blinks. A little owlishly. Shakes himself from the strange, whatever-it-was hovering in his head. “Oh. Yes.”</p><p>Cloud eyes him a moment longer but lets it drop. Tips his head. “What’re you doing down here anyway?”</p><p>Andrea gasps, excitement bubbling in him again as he remembers.</p><p>“I wanted to go outside.”</p><p>Cloud stares at him like Andrea’s lost his head-</p><p>“It’s raining.”</p><p>-sounds like Cloud thinks it too.</p><p>“I noticed.” Andrea grins. Teasing a little cheeky. Puts on a show of a pout as he clasps his hands before him. “Please?”</p><p>Cloud stares at him a moment, hovers then sighs. His shoulders sinking as he turns and heads towards the bay doors. Grabs the lever besides them and with a groan the doors slide open. The pounding of the rain is a near violent thing. Never rains like this around Midgar, not that Andrea’s ever seen.</p><p>So he eases down the ramp. Hovering beneath the slight overhang of the Shera before reaching out. Flinches with a small gasp as the droplets strike the skin of his hand and arm. It doesn’t sting the way he halfway expects. It’s cold, but refreshing too.</p><p>Having tested the waters, rather literally, Andrea steps out into the downpour. Almost immediately the waters soak all the way down to his skin. A shiver tripping down Andrea’s spine as the material of his shirt plasters itself to him. Andrea almost laughs, but the air’s actually a little hard to breathe. So saturated with moisture. Curious he tilts his head up, trying to peer up at the mass of dark clouds. But the rain comes down so hard he can’t keep his eyes open.</p><p>So he doesn’t try to. Just lets them close and allows the rain to pound against his face. Against him. Soaking the tall wisps of grass all around.</p><p>It’s a strange sort of serenity that curls around him. Through him. Peaceful in the way he can’t even hear his own thoughts over the sound of the rain. Thundering down against his skin and it feels like it’s trying to drive those worries straight out of his bones.</p><p>It’s nice.</p><p>He doesn’t know how long he stands there before someone grabs his arm. Jolts him back into his body from the peaceful dark. Squinting through the rain to the smear of colors that is Cloud. All his pretty gold and blue-green shades.</p><p>“You’re gonna catch a damn cold.” Cloud grumbles. Hauling Andrea back towards the Shera. Andrea laughs and gets a near mouthful of water for his troubles. Sputters, as they duck back beneath the shelter of the ship.</p><p>“I’m sorry, lovely. I got carried away.”</p><p>“No shit.” Cloud says, stubborn frown on his face he plucks at Andrea’s sopping wet clothes. A futile attempt to wring out the hem of his shirt. Finally Cloud rolls his eyes and grabs Andrea’s arm. “C’mon.”</p><p>Andrea’s happy to be towed along back towards their room. But they take a detour. Down another shorter hall and then Andrea’s being nudged into another room. The floor has smooth tile and a line of shower stalls along the back. A group of four benches on the floor too. Reminds Andrea a bit of the set up back at the gym.</p><p>“Go get warmed up.” Cloud says, but Andrea catches his arm and tugs the blond back to him. Hooks his chin over Cloud’s shoulder and grins at him.</p><p>“I’m not the only one who was out in it.” Andrea plucks at Cloud’s equally wet clothes. “Won’t you join me?”</p><p>Cloud rolls his eyes, pushing without any real force as Andrea’s forehead. “Get off. I’ve gotta get our shit outta the room. And towels. You wanna march back there naked?”</p><p>“I wouldn’t mind.” Andrea purrs. Laughing when Cloud elbows him away with more effort. Glowering with one eye over his shoulder as Andrea steps back.</p><p>“Shower. Now.”</p><p>Andrea pouts all of a moment before a grin plucks itself over his lips. A shiver down his spine that’s got nothing to do with the rain and everything to do with how damn beautiful Cloud is.</p><p>“Fiiine. Hurry back.”</p><p>Cloud rolls his eyes and heads back for the door. Dripping and gorgeous. Andrea has to distract himself from it. Grasping the hem of his shirt and slowly peeling it up. Blinks when he hears the door hiss open, but not close again. Glancing over, Andrea doesn’t even try to fight the grin that bites sharp over his face when he spies Cloud.</p><p>Watching him.</p><p>Another little jolt of heat. Eyes going lidded as he sways his body and shimmies his hips far more than necessary. Dragging the wet material up the line of his body and bundling it up over his head. Each motion slow and planned. Moving to a rhythm Andrea makes up in his own head.</p><p>Cloud’s still there and Andrea bites his cheek. A little thrill of heat and amusement trickling through him.</p><p>“Cloud?” Andrea calls, voice low. Eyes heated. A chuckle in his throat when Cloud’s eyes snap to his. “Weren’t you going?”</p><p>Andrea’d bet damn near anything that Cloud’s ears are turning that delightful pink color beneath the floppy mess of his soaked, golden hair. Alas, he doesn’t get a chance to test that theory properly before Cloud high tails it out of the room. Leaving Andrea’s laughter to bounce off the shower walls.</p><p>God he adores the boy far, far too much.</p><p>He <em>is</em> actually cold, especially now he doesn’t have the distraction of Cloud around. So Andrea hurriedly strips himself bare and skitters over towards the showers. It takes a bit of fiddling and fussing to figure out the various taps and knobs on the wall. A moment of too cold, then too hot pouring down against him from above.</p><p>It’s a far more pleasant, rainy downpour. Burns a little as it slowly works to warm him through. Chases a sigh from his lips. Andrea absently runs his hands along himself. Rubbing feeling back into his limbs and the skin of his torso.</p><p>The worst of the chill has been replaced by the time the doors hiss open again. A series of quiet beeps follows. Then another hiss. A reddish light peeking past the edge of the privacy wall. Cloud appears himself not a moment later. Arms laden with all sorts of things.</p><p>“Ah. There you are.” Andrea says with a smile. Stepping out of the heaviest part of the stream. Cloud glances towards him only a moment, busy setting down a stack of towels, then clothes, and finally unhooking a bag from his shoulder. That he brings over to Andrea, holding it out and Andrea realizes it’s his own bag of toiletries. He takes it with a smile. “How thoughtful. Thank you, darling.”</p><p>Cloud hums and returns to one of the free benches. Bending down to start divesting himself of his own clothes. He’s already gotten rid of the hardness, likely left it back in their room. But it’s still a sight to watch him peel himself out of the rest of his gear. The rustle of heavy material and click of his belts. The long drag of his shirt zipper.</p><p>Andrea catches Cloud’s arm as the other draws near again. Tugs Cloud towards him with only a token hint of resistance and a quiet grumble Andrea pays exactly no mind to.</p><p>The shower stalls plenty big for the two of them after all.</p><p>Some of Andrea’s intent to tease is chased away when he realizes how chilled Cloud is beneath his hands. His sweet freckles popping against pale skin and the faint flush there. Andrea hums. Running his hands along and down Cloud’s shoulders as he drags the other further into the stream of hot water. Sees the brief flicker of something sharp over Cloud’s face as it likely stings him the way it did Andrea. But that tension’s quick to fade out.</p><p>Andrea fishes out one of the washcloths he brought along. The contents from his bag set up on a rather ingenious little series of shelves. Dabs a bit of his body wash- unfortunately sans sparkles this time- onto it. Blinks when Cloud snatches it from his fingers. Andrea makes a small, confused sound, to which Cloud just arches a brow and starts scrubbing with that sweet determination at the skin of Andrea’s shoulders. The dancer laughs in his chest and Cloud grumbles at him for moving. Andrea rolls his eyes fondly, twisting despite it to grab the other cloth he’d brought along for the trip, just in case.</p><p>Soon enough their both idly working their way over each other’s bodies. Slow and sometimes teasing, tugging and pulling to get at every inch. Maybe it’s just the heat from the water or how stupidly fond he is of the man standing with him, but Andrea can’t wipe the smile from his face.</p><p>Cloud finishes up his task first, makes Andrea spin around and lean his head back a little so Cloud can scrub his short hair clean. A favour that Andrea happily returns. Though he’s far more methodical about it. Takes his time to soak and scrub every inch of Cloud’s locks. Cloud submits to the attention with his usual eye rolling and muttering.</p><p>When Andrea’s satisfied, he tugs Cloud back around to face him. Rinses Cloud’s hair thoroughly and beams when Cloud’s eyes finally peel themselves open again to look at him.</p><p>“Hello beautiful.”</p><p>“Hey.” Cloud echoes and it’s almost a question. One Andrea’s happy to answer. Leaning to brush the ends of their noses together. Teasing and a touch playful.</p><p>Cloud’s arm hooks around his neck and Andrea blinks. Can feel the drag of the cloth Cloud’s still holding onto against his skin. And it’s nice, sure, but the job is already done. Silly boy.</p><p>“You can drop it.” Andrea murmurs into Cloud’s lips. Each word making them brush together. Marvels quietly at the little shiver that seems to rush all through Cloud’s body. The way the mako in his eyes flares just a touch. Something startled, yet warm to his gaze. A moment later Andrea feels the cloth slipping down his back. Falling to the floor with a wet<em> plop</em>. Andrea hums, pleased.“There’s a good boy.”</p><p>Cloud’s fingers twitch sharp from where they can now curl against the nape of Andrea’s neck. Tugging at him as Cloud makes a small whisper of sound that vibrates pleasantly against Andrea’s lips as the dancer pulls him just a touch closer. Just enough force behind the press of his mouth to Cloud’s to tip the other’s head. Watches those stunning eyes flutter a moment.</p><p>Nice as it is, Andrea’s rather tired of tasting water when all he wants is Cloud. So with careful shuffles and gentle rocking motions, Andrea turns them. Pushing and pressing Cloud gently back until they thud softly against the stall. Again Cloud shivers, but this time from the still cool metal of the wall. Arches a little and Andrea slips his arm between Cloud’s back at it in silent apology.</p><p>Cloud’s hand slides up the back of Andrea’s neck. A slow drag of blunt nails that makes Andrea shiver. Up and up to glide through Andrea’s hair. It's started to grow out more than he normally lets it. Enough that when Cloud curls his fingers he can actually catch something of a grip on it between his slender digits. A brief, sharp little tug.</p><p>Andrea nips at Cloud’s lower lip in gentle retaliation. Drawing his lips away and down. Nosing against the underside of Cloud’s jaw and trailing slow, open mouthed kisses down his neck. Something intoxicating as ever about the scents Andrea enjoys on Cloud’s skin. Another way to leave a mark, the dancer supposes, hovering in the hollow at the base of Cloud’s throat.</p><p>Cloud tugs at him again. A grumble that could be Andrea’s name. Andrea chuckles into his skin. Nipping at sharp collar bones before retracing his previous path. Just tender brushes of the end of his nose and lips.</p><p>Cloud sighs into Andrea’s lips and the dancer smiles. Sliding his hands up to push back the thick, beautiful mess of Cloud’s hair from his face. Cradling him tight and close. And for now that’s enough. More than enough.</p><p>Sure. There’s a distant desire in the back of his mind. To pluck Cloud from the ground. Get those lovely legs wrapped around his waist. Keep him here against the wall and pluck his strings to tease those pretty noises from Cloud’s lips. Pull him apart with hands and lips. Watch that beautiful ecstasy spill over Cloud’s face. His voice echoing off the tiles. Ringing through the steamy air.</p><p>But he doesn’t <em>need</em> it. There’s no urgency in him. No fiery wash of heat. Doesn’t feel anything like it from Cloud either. Despite the fact he can feel the press of Cloud against his thigh. A simple side effect of Cloud usual sensitivity to skin on skin. But the loop of Cloud’s arms around him is steady. Firm. Not tugging at Andrea or pulling him closer. Makes it so, so very easy to find absolute contentment in just sharing this moment between them.</p><p>Closeness and warmth and shared breath.</p><p>“Andrea...”</p><p>Perfect.</p><p>Positively, absolutely perfect.</p><p>They part with a gentle pop of wet, tender skin. Cloud’s eyes flutter. Lidded as they meet Andrea’s and that same quiet content Andrea feels in himself is echoed there. He smiles, resting his forehead tenderly against Cloud’s. Voice barely above a whisper as he speaks.</p><p>“Warmed up?”</p><p>“Mm hmm.”</p><p>“Good. Because I think the water’s getting cold.”</p><p>Cloud huffs. But it’s an amused sound, not an annoyed one. The blond reaching to shut down the shower. Andrea tugs them over towards the stack of towel’s Cloud’d brought in. The two of them working to get themselves dried off. Andrea bats Cloud’s hands away gently from the towel he tosses over his hair. Takes over the task happily and far more gentle about it than he’s seen Cloud be. Wringing and rubbing the worst of the wet from deep golden locks. Leaving them to fluff up in all their silly, endearing angles.</p><p>As the cool of the room sets in they’re both quick to dress themselves into the dry, comfortable clothes Cloud brought along. Laying their other things out to dry overnight.</p><p>They join the others for an early supper. A kind of free-for-all affair. Delicious dishes all scattered around the main table. From which they load up then scatter to find their own seats and spaces. There’s idle conversation, largely from Cid, Shera, Andrea and Cait- who, Andrea notes, doesn’t eat. Vincent and Cloud are apparently twins in their taciturn natures. Near silent observers to the goings on around them. Leslie mostly keeps his silence too. Though Andrea’d bet near anything it’s more to do with him trying to figure out everyone else. He’s good at observation. One reason why the Don had placed him front and centre to screen those who came too near. Though Cloud does occasionally chime in if Shera and Cid’s conversation makes a turn towards the technical. It’s honestly endearing, watching Cloud’s face light up just a little from talk of thrusters and consoles and a bunch of other jargon Andrea hasn’t the first clue to what it means.</p><p>Once everything’s tidied and even the most voracious of chatters starts to wind down they all head off their separate ways. The storms let up a fair bit, but unfortunately it’s gotten too dark now and Cid doesn’t like risking flight through mountains in the dead of night. So it’s decided on all but unanimously that they get a good night's rest and head off as early as possible the next morning.</p><p>Bidding goodnight to their companions, he and Cloud duck back into their rooms and all at once a quiet sort of exhaustion settles on Andrea’s shoulders. Feels like the comfortable beds are calling his name as he stifles a yawn. How fortunate then, they’re all but ready for bed. Andrea slips off into the small bathroom for his nightly ablutions.</p><p>“So how close are we to Wutai? Timewise, I mean?” He calls to Cloud shuffling about in the other room as the dancer finishes brushing his teeth.</p><p>“Ideally would’ve made it to Rocket Town today.” Cloud answers and Andrea’s new, slow growing knowledge of their world places it a little north west of where they’re landed. “But we can make up the time tomorrow. Should still hit Wutai by the afternoon.”</p><p>Andrea hums, packing away his things again and ducking back into the room. Cloud’s perched on the end of the bed closest to the door. Leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Hands hanging loose between them. Andrea wanders over, smiling as the other glances up when he runs a hand through wild, but soft hair.</p><p>“How’re you feeling...?” Andrea asks, tracking his eyes across Cloud’s face. Cloud blinks at him a moment then nods.</p><p>“’m fine.”</p><p>He does certainly seem like it. No more of that lingering nausea, or that distant, unfocused melancholy.</p><p>“Hmm...glad to hear it.” Brushing his fingers down the side of Cloud’s face, Andrea stretches languidly. Rocking on his toes before offering a tired smile to the other. “I don’t know about you, lovely, but I’m wiped. Ready to turn in?”</p><p>Cloud nods and doesn’t seem at all surprised when Andrea crawls up the bed beside him after flicking off the lights. It’s larger than Cloud’s bed back at the bar, though not by all that much. Still makes Andrea rather content to curl on his side facing Cloud as the other settles opposite him. They’ve both got a hand in the small space between them. Cloud’s higher than Andrea’s. Deceptively delicate digits flexing idly along the plain bedding. Toying with the folds. After a moment of two of quiet, his eyes flicker to Andrea’s. Bright even in the dark.</p><p>“...You okay?”</p><p>“Mm?”</p><p>“After yesterday.”</p><p>Oh.</p><p>That instinctive want to assure the other sticks in Andrea’s throat and he swallows it back down. No more of that, Andi. You owe him the truth. So the dancer turns his focus inward for the first time since last night. In truth with everything that’s gone on today, Andrea hasn’t thought much at all of the break-in. When he does he finds that sick, needling anxiety waiting for him. Not <em>as</em> sharp as it’d been yesterday. But still very present.</p><p>“I’m still uneasy about it. I’m...worried that we’ll be doing all this for nothing. That we’ll get there and he’ll be long gone.” The smile that twitches over Andrea’s face is a humourless thing. He lets it go with a sigh as he nods, more to himself than the other. “But, being able to do at least <em>something</em> about it’s helped I think. I don’t know what sort of state I’d be in, stuck back in Edge, after everything.”</p><p>Cloud nods, a quiet understanding hovering in the vaguely defined features of his face. Andrea smiles. Slides his hand up to catch Cloud’s and twines their fingers. Cloud lets him easily enough. Quiet for a moment or two before there’s a rustle. Cloud nodding as his hand grips Andrea’s a bit tighter.</p><p>“We’ll find him.” Cloud says with such quiet, simple conviction. Yet it pulls something in Andrea tight. Silently stunned as his tired eyes flicker to Cloud’s. “Even if the bastard runs. We’ll find him.”</p><p>“Cloud...” Andrea chokes briefly against a rush of<em> too-much</em> bubbling up his throat. Sweet, yet bitter. He shakes his head.“You really don’t have to do all this. It’s hardly your mess and you’ve so much else going on. Not to mention everything you’ve already done.”</p><p>“Andrea—</p><p>“But,” Andrea cuts off the too sweet protest he catches beneath his name. Squeezing Cloud’s hand as a smile flickers over his face. “I would truly be a fool to turn down such assistance. Especially given this task is several orders of magnitude greater than I could ever handle alone. So thank-”</p><p>The gratitude Andrea means to express is lost. Cut off in startled breath as Cloud shifts. Closing the scant inches between them to silence Andrea’s lips with his own.</p><p>“Quit it.” Cloud murmurs into the faint shadows between them. Sweetly stern. “‘m doing this cuz I want to.”</p><p>Andrea can’t help the way his expression falls. Slack with shock. Shock both at the words and how deeply the simple truth behind them strikes him. Hovers beneath his ribs. Shaking just a little as Cloud’s fingers tangle with his further. Andrea drags a slightly shaky smile onto his face. Tips his head.</p><p>“So I’m not allowed to thank you?”</p><p>Cloud rolls his eyes. “You can. But quit making it sound like you haven’t done all the hard stuff. You had to deal with that fucker for years. And you made it this far. That more’n counts.”</p><p>But...</p><p>But this is a fight that <em>he</em> started. It’s got nothing to do with anyone else. So what right does he have dragging others into it. More than he already has—</p><p>“It doesn’t...” There’s a quiet struggle beneath Cloud’s eyes for a moment. Andrea can see it and the way words seem to stick in Cloud’s throat. Something just a little painful in his gaze before it fades out. Out and down into that quiet, fiery certainty. “Doesn’t make you <em>weak</em> for needing help in the end.”</p><p>It goes against everything, <em>everything</em> Andrea knows is true. The golden rule of the slums that’d been his entire world up until now. You look out for yourself because no one else will. Some small part of Andrea’d always rebelled at that. It’s why he’d tried his utmost to make the Inn as safe as he could for those who worked under him. But he certainly hadn’t always succeeded. And very little had ever truly gone against that age old truth either.</p><p>And yet...</p><p>Here he is. Here <em>Cloud</em> is. Ready and willing. Offering that next handhold. Showing him the next step forward when Andrea felt like he’d been stumbling blind. All for no other reason than he <em>wants</em> to...?</p><p>“You’re incredible, you know that?” Is all Andrea can manage. Mind a whirl, yet feels stuck in place. But it’s not in a bad way. Not this time. Not when what he’s stuck on is the absolute unexpected marvel that is Cloud Strife. Of everything he is.</p><p>Of course Cloud sighs. Rolls those pretty eyes of his again. Andrea’s not even really sure if it’s his idea or Cloud’s that has them shifting. Nearly all of Cloud’s weight settling atop Andrea. Soothing and familiar. Comforting. Means Andrea gets to trace the strong, beautiful lines of him. Gliding his hand along Cloud’s back and shoulders. Up into his hair. Each motion, each breath easing out that knot in his chest. Hovering too tight and making his eyes burn.</p><p>“Get some sleep.” Comes the warm murmur of breath against Andrea’s neck where Cloud’s tucked himself comfortably. Andrea hums. Tips his chin to press his lips to Cloud’s head before settling again.</p><p>“Good night, Cloud.”</p><p>---</p><p>They’re woken by the sound of the airship coming to life all around them. Engines humming and roaring to life in the distance and the shift of the structure. A moment later Cid’s voice crackles over the speakers.</p><p>“<em>Yo! Rise ‘n shine sleeping beauties. Lets get this show on the road!</em>”</p><p>Cloud lets out a low groan against where he’s still mushed against the side of Andrea’s neck. Grumbling a little before he pushes up. Shaking the hair from his face and running a hand through it. Gives up with a sigh when it very determinedly just flops right back into his eyes. Andrea laughs around a yawn. Reaching to help tuck it at least a little better out of the way.</p><p>“Good morning.” Andrea chimes, still a little groggy from the sudden wake up call. But he feels rested. Well and truly. Besides, Cid’s certainly right. Waking to Cloud is always a beautiful sight.</p><p>“Morning.” Cloud mumbles, stretching and rolling his neck a little. Gaze flickering towards the window. Outside’s just barely light enough to see by. The mountains beyond masses of towering darkness.</p><p>“That a usual wake up around here?”</p><p>Cloud huffs, somehow amused and distantly horrified. “Just be glad he didn’t blare Hip Hop de Chocobo through it this time.”</p><p>Not a track Andrea can say he’s ever heard of. Given the look on Cloud’s face, perhaps that’s a good thing?</p><p>They putter about the room to get ready for the day. Cloud’s longest effort being attempting to tackle his poor hair back into <em>some</em> semblance of it’s usual order. Andrea admits he’s keeping more than half an eye on the other as they shift about. After how ill he’d been yesterday, Andrea’s hoping to catch it sooner if it happens again.</p><p>Once Cloud’s satisfied with the state of himself the two of them strike off towards the mess hall. It’s empty save the two of them so they bustle about. Raiding cupboards and filling up thermos’ they’d brought from Seventh Heaven with drinks to take with them to the bridge. Once their bellies are full, Andrea’s certainly more than Cloud’s given how cautious the other’s being, they join the others.</p><p>Cid of course gives them a bit of shit for being the last hands on deck, but it’s clearly all in good fun. The man doesn’t exactly strike Andrea as a morning person, especially given the massive cup of coffee so black Andrea can smell it the moment they walk into the room. So the extra bit of orneriness may very well just be his way of waking up.</p><p>Vincent’s hovering against the far side. Tucked back against the wall and still as the mountains they’re just starting to pass over. Shera’s perched by Cid up on the platform and Leslie’s scrawling through one of the terminals. Clearly Cid’d given him a run down on how to access the map and such much like he had Andrea. Even Cait Sith’s there. Perched on the floor beside the observatory, heels kicking an absent rhythm against the glass floor as it hums off key to itself.</p><p>For some reasons it’s odd. Seeing Cloud out of his usual fatigues in a place like this. But in some ways it makes it a little easier for Andrea to picture it. The journey he’s gone on with the majority of those present in the room. Despite his bout of motion sickness there’s an easy peace to him up here. Different, perhaps, from that that he gets out on the ranch for example. But it’s something similar.</p><p>The early dawn sun glints off of something outside, momentarily stinging Andrea’s eyes and he turns to peer at what it could be. Gasps quietly when he does. It’s <em>jarring</em>. Seeing the towering reactor rising up out from the depths of the mountains. A glinting piece of steel that has no place at all amidst the world around it.</p><p>Eeriest of all is the very clear mako glow still emanating from it.</p><p>“Is it still active...?”</p><p>“No. Not technically. The ones out here all run on automation. Shinra didn’t bother sending maintenance in until after there was a problem. They’d build them, then leave ‘em to do their thing.”</p><p>“How many are there?”</p><p>“A few. This one, the one on Mt. Nibel and...” The way Cloud trails off catches Andrea’s attention sharply. As does the oddest flicker in his eyes. Bright and pained and sad in a way that he hadn’t been even when he’d brought up his old home. In fact it’s an expression Andrea’s never seen on him before. Leaves him feeling unsettled even as Cloud gives his head a brief shake. “Gongaga. But that one’s trashed. Some kinda accident.”</p><p>Andrea gut twists. A momentary grimace on his face. An accident from a reactor is <em>never</em> a small thing. That much was made painfully evident during the two attacks in Midgar. Still he tucks that particular helpless darkness away and hums.</p><p>“It’s strange.”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“I mean. I suppose it makes sense for reactors to exist outside the ones in Midgar. I just hadn’t ever really thought about it before, I suppose.”</p><p>Cloud huffs. “Reactor outside Midgar pretty much means one thing.”</p><p>“Oh? And what’s that?”</p><p>“Nothing else out there.”</p><p>Cloud says it with such a flat tone it startles a laugh from Andrea. Catches the briefest, sweetest flicker of amusement in Cloud’s face before something in it snags on a shadow. Tilts it sideways and into another look Andrea’s never seen before. A sudden, stabbing pain that turns his eyes glossy and lost for just a moment. It bleeds out into his expression too. A twist to his brow like a flinch. His glove creaks in an aborted motion that turns into a fist. Before Andrea can ask, Cloud’s pushing back up to his feet. Something tense about the way he’s holding himself.</p><p>“I, uh. Said you wanted to practice right? Gimme a minute. Just gonna grab something.”</p><p>Cloud’s gone before Andrea can even think to follow.</p><p>He feels like he’s just missed a step- or twenty. An odd lurching in his stomach that has nothing to do with the turbulence of the airship. Heart pounding a hard rhythm against his ribs. But not in the usual way that Cloud tends to make it do.</p><p>A flash of gold in his peripheral and the clink of metal on metal draws Andrea’s attention. Up and up to land on Vincent’s hovering form. Andrea still hasn’t the first clue what to make of the man. He thinks even general exposure and sharing space has calmed down that strange, animal fright that’d jack-rabbited into his chest the first time.</p><p>Vincent’s staring after Cloud. Expression damn near impossible to make out between his cowl, head wrap and long ebony hair. But after a moment or two his blood-red eyes drop towards Andrea.</p><p>“Don’t worry. It wasn’t anything you did.”</p><p>It’s not what Andrea expected him to say. Honestly he hadn’t expected Vincent to speak at all. And for his words to be a very obvious and surprisingly careful attempt at comfort is an unexpected piece of a puzzle slipping into place. Drags up a genuine smile onto his face.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>Vincent nods and that’s apparently the end of it. Another of the odd similarities Andrea’s picked up between this man and Cloud. The tattered wisps of his crimson cape flickering as Vincent vanishes through the door. Andrea sighs, climbing to his feet. Clearly Cloud needs a moment to himself and Andrea wants to honor that. Besides he hasn’t the first clue where on Gaia they’d go to train while airborne. So he hovers in on the bridge a while to wait.</p><p>In fairness it is only a few minutes. But it feels longer. Watching the world beneath them pass by. Mountain after mountain. Valley after valley. A striking wasteland visible out to their east facing side. Andrea’s still keenly aware that somewhere to their west lies what was once Cloud’s home. Knows Cloud had mentioned that it was a mountain village, but the thought of living in such a place  seemed quietly impossible. With crags of rock and deep, seemingly bottomless valleys between is so wholly foreign to Andrea that he’d no idea what any of that meant until he could look down at something similar with his own eyes.</p><p>“Come on.” Cloud calls to him. Drawing Andrea out of his head and out the door. Trails in Cloud’s wake as the other leads him along to another new sector of the ship. They must be rather close to the back of the ship by the time they stop. The rumble of the engine’s far louder here than on the bridge.</p><p>The room they enter is surprisingly spacious. The floor split between metal and some sort of finely woven mats all puzzle pieced together. The walls are what catch his eye first though. Racks of carefully secured weapons glitter in the rising sun. Swords, spears, gloves with metal knuckles. Some strange star shaped ones Andrea doesn’t know the name of. Training dummies and punching bags too. Set near the centre of the room there’s a small circular protrusion. Flickering with electric blue light.</p><p>“What is that?” Andrea asks, pointing towards it.</p><p>“Combat sim.” Cloud answers, heading up to the edge of the mat and toeing off his boots. “Friend of ours helped install it. We can use it if you want, but I wanna see what you’ve got first.”</p><p>Andrea follows Cloud’s lead. Kicking off his shoes and stepping onto the mat. It’s sturdy, but with the smallest bit of padding and gentle spring to it. Andrea bounces on the balls of his feet a little. The atmosphere of the place already getting that quiet kick of excitement starting up in his chest. Gets him to start limbering up and stretching out his arms even as he follows along behind Cloud. The blond hauls out one of the heavy punching bags with an ease that’s wholly unfair frankly. Jerks his head towards the wall.</p><p>“Bandages and chalk in that cupboard if you want ‘em.”</p><p>Probably not a terrible idea. Andrea’s not looking to get himself hurt hours before the big show. He wanders over and undoes the latch keeping it all locked into place. Pasted inside the door is a note written in Tifa’s familiar hand. Smart, but sweet tips about proper technique and the like. Andrea perches on the floor, reading them over as he sets to work getting himself ready.</p><p>Feeling about as ready as he ever is for a work out, Andrea hops back to his feet. Mindful of the twinge still very present in his ankle. A few more weeks, sadly, before that’s gone. Still, it’s hardly enough to stop him. This shouldn’t take long and he can baby it before they land.</p><p>Cloud’s watching. Waiting. Quiet, but keen where he’s standing a decent distance away. Offers Andrea a nod when the dancer glances at him so Andrea takes it for the go ahead.</p><p>God it’s been ages. But still, muscle memory is a hell of a thing. Easy enough for Andrea to find easy balance. Keeping himself light on his feet as he hops. Limbering up and getting himself ready. Finding his proper pace and breathing before he strikes out with the first of a quick one-two hit. The punching bag is well built. Solid enough for a good visceral feeling to each quick strike.</p><p>“Who taught you?” Cloud asks after a minute or two. He’s wandered a little closer and Andrea can feel him tracking his movements.</p><p>“Oh a few people. Never anything formal of course.” Andrea replies between hits and breaths. “Jules and I would have our go rounds, but it was mostly for sport. And self defence.”</p><p>Andrea shifts his stance, leans his weight and lashes out with a solid kick. He’s always preferred them though he’d made sure not to favour them. Jules was always good at kicking his ass if he started to.</p><p>He misses it.</p><p>But Andrea’s got no time or energy to waste worrying and wishing right now. Right now he has to be focused. On the here and now and the problem he’s current staring down. And once that’s over and done with then he can focus on the rest. On piecing back together his home, his family. All of it.</p><p>With one final kick Andrea finally feels like he’s found his centre again. Feels limbered and ready and turns to Cloud with a grin.</p><p>“Up for a match my darling?”</p><p>Cloud nods and the two of them move to where they’ve more space. Andrea dips to stretch his legs a bit more, eyeing Cloud through his lashes.</p><p>“Not going to warm up...?”</p><p>“Don’t need to.” Cloud replies and Andrea blinks. Ah. Of course. Indeed, thinking back on it he’s seen just how damn fast Cloud can shift from resting to the heat and heart of battle. The idea does make Andrea frown a little. Not out of jealousy- at least not entirely- but a quiet worry. That’s got to be hellish on the body. Never truly ‘at rest’. Certainly explains all those miserable knots Andrea’d spent the better part of an hour or more working out from under his skin.</p><p>Still if Cloud’s ready for him, no reason not to begin.</p><p>Andrea starts to circle. Noting Cloud tracking him and only shifting to keep Andrea from getting at his back. Slow and careful. Calculated. Tensing and shifting from the various quick blows or feints Andrea strikes at him with. Blocking and returning them with his own.</p><p>Facing Cloud is different, not only the style, but the feel of it. Andrea’d noticed a trend in the underground. A lot of combatant’s trying to showboat and show off with flashy, fancy moves. He knows he’s certainly guilty of it at times. But it’s also a far, far dirtier style of fighting than anything acceptable. You did whatever you had to to survive, because that’s exactly what your opponent would be doing.</p><p>Because of that it’s easy to spot the difference in tactics of whatever Cloud’d been taught. A series of quick, and efficient take downs, grapples, disarmament. Nothing flashy or fancy about it. Which surprises Andrea in a way. But it makes sense too. Why waste time and energy on an opponent when you don’t know how many more there may be?</p><p>“Show me how to do that one again?” He says around a hard breath. Rolling back to his feet from where Cloud’d knocked him down. Cloud offers him a hand up and walks him through it. Wrist grab, bent back. Weight into the opponent, get them off balance and down.</p><p>Half a dozen more times, before Andrea’s got the table turned. Cloud’s back hits the mats with an ‘<em>Oof.’</em> Andrea backs off as Cloud glances up at him. Nods. “Good.”</p><p>The Shera rattles, the vibrations sharper down here than they are near the heart of the ship. Cloud catches Andrea’s shoulder, bracing him against the lurch. Andrea laughs.</p><p>“How do you always know when it’s going to happen?”</p><p>Cloud shrugs. “Experience. Go again.”</p><p>They settle into their positions opposite each other and Andrea can feel Cloud’s going to make him work for this one. But before either of them move, Cloud pauses a moment, eyes peering over Andrea’s shoulder.</p><p>“Gonna join us?”</p><p>Andrea starts a little, hadn’t realized they had an audience. How he missed Vincent’s rather penetrating stare, he hasn’t the first clue. The man’s hovering near the door. Eyes on Cloud as he shakes his head.</p><p>“I won’t intrude. Cid wanted me to tell you we’re about two hours out.”</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>Vincent nods, something flashing beneath his cape then flying through the air. Cloud catches it easily. Andrea realizes it’s a canteen and the thirst hits him as he hears the water sloshing inside it. Vincent’s gone before either of them can thank him again.</p><p>Cloud uncaps it and hands it over. Andrea takes a long, grateful drag and returns it. Eyeing the door as Cloud takes his own drink.</p><p>“He’s an interesting man, isn’t he?”</p><p>“Mm.”</p><p>“How’d you meet?”</p><p>The expression that crosses Cloud’s face is rather odd. Stilted. Hovers there just a little tense before he shrugs.</p><p>“Probably won’t believe me.”</p><p>Andrea’s curiosity is only piqued even further.</p><p>“Try me.” He says, with more than a little challenge in his voice. Cloud stares at him a moment. Then without skipping a beat or change in his careful, even tone.</p><p>“Hauled him out of a coffin in a basement where he’d been sleeping for twenty years.”</p><p>Andrea blinks.</p><p>Again.</p><p>And again.</p><p>He heard the words Cloud said. Can feel them echoing and looping. But he keeps snagging on two things in particular. Ringing through his ears like the remnants of the thunderstorm last night.</p><p>
  <em>Coffin...?</em>
</p><p><em>Twenty<strong>years</strong></em>—?!</p><p>“I...what—”</p><p>“Not my business to tell.” Cloud says with a curtness that’s sharp, even for him. Enough to snap Andrea out of the increasingly stunned— and frankly horrified— spiral he’s working into. Gets him looking at Cloud and the tense shadow on his face.</p><p>Oh. That’s what that look is. Or at least part of it. It’s Cloud being protective of one of his own. One of those he very clearly considers friend, comrade and <em>family</em> besides. And with a history like what he’s just told Andrea, is it any wonder?</p><p>“...I’d say he’s very lucky you found him then.” Andrea says it and means it. In general of course, can’t begin to imagine what kind of hell that scenario would be. Doesn’t want to. But also for the fact that Cloud’d been the one to stumble upon the other man. Because it’s obvious Cloud holds a great deal of affection for him. And while he doesn’t know anything at all about Vincent, Andrea can’t imagine the man’s the sort to agree to help them with something like this without reason. Even if that reason is nothing more than the apparent respect he has for Cloud.</p><p>“Dunno if he’d agree.” Cloud replies with a shrug, falling back into an easy fighters form. “Ready?”</p><p>Andrea lets it drop. It isn’t any of his business anyway. Shifts to match Cloud’s stance and, as he’d thought before, Cloud makes him work for this one.</p><p>They go at each other another half hour before Cloud calls them to a halt. Andrea flits off to the showers to cool down. Cloud apparently doesn’t want or need such a thing. Andrea’s a little jealous. Fancy SOLIDER enhancements giving Cloud an edge in all sorts of ways. Still, Andrea’s quick to clean himself up and hurry back to the training hall.</p><p>Cloud’s waiting for him, but it’s obvious he’s left the room at some point. Because he’s got his sword and at his side is a square chest. One Andrea’s noticed him carting around more and more. As Andrea crosses the mats again, Cloud pops the lock and flips the lid open. Multi-hued light shimmers from within it and Andrea gazes at the orbs of materia inside.</p><p>“Ever used materia before?” Cloud asks as Andrea settles cross legged before him. The dancer shakes his head.</p><p>“No. Never.”</p><p>Cloud nods, seemingly unsurprised by that. Andrea doesn’t feel compelled to explain either. Not the fact it was not something that could get you killed or worse if the old ‘Gardener’ had caught you trying. An instinct and fear that’d wormed its way down so deep in Andrea’s soul that he’d honestly never thought to attempt it even after he was as much his own boss as he could be.</p><p>“Not everybody has aptitude for it. But most people don’t know what they can do because they never try.”</p><p>Cloud fishes one of the common green orbs out and offers it to Andrea. With a moment of hesitation Andrea takes it. Rolls it gently in his palm and glances between the whirl of energy at its centre and Cloud’s face as the other starts talking.</p><p>“That’s a healing materia. Its purpose is to patch you up when you’ve got nothing else to do it. It can do a lot. Everything from minor to major injuries.”</p><p>“And it’s got a cost.” Andrea continues the thought. Parroting what Cloud’s always told him about the magic Andrea’s seen him wield. Cloud nods.</p><p>“Energy. That’s the easiest way to explain it. I want you to try and use it.”</p><p>“On...what?”</p><p>“Me.” Cloud replies. Twisting in place. He rests the palm of his hand against the sharp tip of his blade and in a short, sharp jerk slices the skin open.</p><p>“Cloud!” Andrea gasps, Lurching forward at the side of blood welling to the surface of the wound. Bright against Cloud’s pale skin. Cloud seems wholly unconcerned. Gestures with his other hand towards the materia in Andrea’s.</p><p>“Try it.” He says, voice calm and unhurried. “Just close your eyes and concentrate. I’ll talk you through it.”</p><p>Andrea hesitates. Fighting the instinct to say fuck this whole thing and dig out some of the extra bandages. That’s the sort of ‘healing’ he knows. Not this mystical, magical mumbo jumbo. Still, it’s clear this is important to Cloud or he wouldn’t be bothering. So Andrea closes his eyes and does as asked. Turning his attention to the object in his hand. It’s heavier than he’d thought it’d be. Almost like smooth glass on the outside.</p><p>“Concentrate.” Cloud reminds him gently and Andrea sighs through his nose.</p><p>“What <em>exactly</em> am I supposed to be concentrating on?”</p><p>“It’s different for everybody. But there’s energy in the materia. Find it and reach for it.”</p><p>An energy huh? Andrea takes a slow breath and lets it out. Feels a bit foolish, sitting here thinking when he could be doing something useful. Still, Cloud seems to think he can do it and Andrea hates to disappoint. So he tries. Rolls the orb in his hand tries to concentrate on it. On the light he’s seen inside it.</p><p>Something brushes the edge of his mind and Andrea inhales quietly.</p><p>“Got it?”</p><p>“I...think so?”</p><p>“What's it feel like?”</p><p>“I...” Another breath. Just as slow. But then he lets it out and the words come. Because the feeling’s sort of like stepping outside. Settles over him like—“Warm. Sort of like...sunlight.”</p><p>“Mm. See if you can catch it.”</p><p>
  <em>Catch sunlight? Very helpful.</em>
</p><p>Well. If he’s going to do it, he thinks hands would be useful. So he mimics the motions of his body, cradling the materia between both hands. Drawing it a little closer to his chest where the feeling sits warmest. In his mind's eye he sees himself. Reaching out his hands and letting sunlight brush against them.</p><p>Something brushes against him. Familiar. Like wind. Like water. A weight that shifts and moves. Twists around and through the small gaps between his fingers. It’s strange.</p><p>“Open your eyes.”</p><p>Andrea peels them open and blinks at the glow just below his eye line. Glances down and gasps. His hands are glowing. Much like Cloud’s do when he’s seen him use this sort of materia. Strands of white-green light- <em>magic</em>- curling like vines along his fingers. Emitting tiny motes of light into the air.</p><p>“Oh!” Andrea murmurs, entranced. Looking up at Cloud with wide eyes. “H-how do I use it?”</p><p>“Couple different ways. You can touch the injury- or just the person who’s hurt. Or you can picture who you want to heal and cast it.”</p><p>As he says it Cloud flicks his uninjured hand and Andrea’s reminded of the way he’d hurled ice magic into those drakes on the trip to Kalm. The reminder is enough to pull Andrea’s attention back to Cloud’s still bleeding hand. Slow and dark. Surprisingly sluggish. Settles a little knot of unease in Andrea’s stomach. The magic covering his hand flickers a little. One of them fading down to near nothing and it’s just another needle stabbing at him.</p><p>“What if I can’t—”</p><p>“You’re not gonna hurt me. It’s <em>healing</em>. Even if it ‘fails’ there’s no danger. ‘s why it’s the best place to start.”</p><p>Perhaps Andrea is being ridiculous about the whole thing. But even so, Cloud’s being nothing but patient with him. Talking him through rationally and calmly. It doesn’t feel all that surprising, for Cloud to be a good teacher. But it <em>is</em> at least on some level.</p><p>Still, his assurances are enough that Andrea takes a breath. Closes the space between them. Grips Cloud’s hand just below the cut, uncaring if any of the blood gets on him as he rests his still glowing hand over the wound.</p><p>It’s an easy thing. A thought Andrea’s had too many times honestly. To be able to take away Cloud’s hurts. His pain. Awful and easy to drag that up to the front of his mind with Cloud’s blood warm against his skin. A quiet echo in his head and heart,</p><p><em>Go away. Don’t hurt him</em>.<em> Keep him safe—</em></p><p>And as he thinks it there’s a pull. Just the smallest tug like when he’d first pulled the spell from the materia. But rather than drawing anything <em>to</em> him, this sensation is flowing <em>away</em> from him. Like rainwater dripping off his skin. Dragging something along with it—</p><p>“Hey.”</p><p>Andrea’s attention snaps back and up to Cloud. Blinking a few times. He feels a little odd, but Cloud’s got that look on his face. A glimmer of quiet, hovering pride in his eyes. His hand shifts beneath Andrea’s touch. Just a little, but Andrea’s grip tightens reflexively. Eyes darting down.</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Oh it...it’s gone. The cut’s gone. Faded away like it’d never been there at all.</p><p>Disbelieving Andrea shifts his hold. Draws Cloud’s hand up closer to his face to stare at it. Uncertain if he’s willing to believe his own eyes just yet. Peering close at Cloud’s pale skin with a critical eye. Thumb tracing carefully across the skin that’d once been split open. But there’s nothing there. Not a mark or a hint of it left. Even the blood has been apparently washed away.</p><p>Stunned, Andrea’s eyes drift from Cloud’s hand to his eyes.</p><p>“...I did it...?”</p><p>“Knew you could.” Cloud replies. Not a hint of doubt in his voice. One of those pretty shadow smiles on his face. Bright in his eyes.</p><p>How many times...? How many times has he pleaded with himself to be able to do something? To soothe what he can of Cloud’s hurts. And now Cloud’s given him the most basic of tools and tricks to do just that.</p><p>It’s too much.</p><p>For a moment, a sudden rapid heartbeat it’s too much.</p><p>Andrea drags Cloud’s hand to him with a muted gasp, the materia slips from his fingers. Hitting the floor with a dull thud and rolling towards Cloud’s toes. Lips pressing with a fervent, quiet desperation to the now unmarked skin. Lets out a sigh. Too hot, and trembling just a little. There’s a scent, almost like mako, but softer hovering there.</p><p>“You okay?” Cloud asks, something uncertain in his voice. Andrea just nods. Quickly, happily. Smiling, but he can’t find the words to explain it. Sounds ridiculous in his own head when he tries. Glad he doesn’t have any damn tears in his eyes when he peels them open to meet Cloud’s gaze.</p><p>“Thank you.” He manages. And it feels right. Sounds right. Even if it’s not even close to expressing everything that’s coursing through him. Keeps Cloud’s hand cradled to his cheek as he gets himself back in order. Cloud looks a little confused still, but he nods.</p><p>“No problem.”</p><p>There he goes again. Shaking Andrea’s world down to it’s core and acting like it’s just any other day. It is, of course. Andrea’s just being silly about all this. Tries to drag his mind out to the broad implications and uses.</p><p>“You said it could be ‘cast’ too right?” Cloud nods. “Would it reach you if you weren’t in the room?”</p><p>“It’ll reach most anywhere, but that depends on the caster. And the longer it’s airborne the more potency it loses.” Cloud explains. “Some people just aren’t all that good at it either. So they have to use higher levels to achieve the same effect as someone else would with a basic one.”</p><p>“More energy for the same result.”</p><p>“Basically. It’s why figuring out and fitting to your own specialties is a good thing.”</p><p>It makes a lot of sense, though it isn’t anything Andrea would’ve imagined. It’d all seemed so foreign. So impossible he’d just sort of tucked it into that one singular box of ‘not happening’. Now that he’s gotten to peak inside, his mind’s racing.</p><p>“What about the things I’ve seen you and Tifa do? With ice and such? Could I learn that?”</p><p>“Probably. Elements are trickier than healing though. More dangerous too. Most people have a natural affinity towards certain ones.”</p><p>“Do you?” Andrea asks, genuinely curious. Magic is magic in his mind and to learn there’s so much nuance to it is fascinating. Cloud shrugs lightly.</p><p>“Lightning and wind mostly. Tifa’s fire and ice.”</p><p>Seems fitting, though Andrea’s barely got any real grasp of the scope of it. Though it does leave a small twinge in his chest. Wonders if that’s a hard fact for Tifa. That she shares an affinity with something that’s taken so much from her.</p><p>Though perhaps he’s just reading too much into things.</p><p>Thinking of Tifa though, it does drag one other curiosity to the front of Andrea’s mind.</p><p>“Back at the ranch. You gave Tifa a piece of red materia. What was that?”</p><p>“Summon.” Cloud replies, like it’s an answer. It probably is, but it means nothing to Andrea. Cloud seems to register that when he catches the dancer blinking at him. “Uh. Lets you call on entities to help in battle.”</p><p>“Entities?”</p><p>“You ever heard ‘bout Ifrit or Shiva?”</p><p>“I...maybe? When I was a child perhaps.” Andrea wracks his memories a moment or two. The name Shiva feels vaguely familiar at least. Some bedtime story or other Mother or one of the other performers would tuck him and Jules into bed with. “They’re legends though, aren’t they?”</p><p>“Kinda.” Cloud says with a shrug. Rolling the materia orb between his palms. “Can’t exactly show it off. Cid’d kill me for one and they don’t like being called when you don’t need them.”</p><p>Andrea blinks once. Twice. Feels his eyes slowly bugging out of his head as the implication of that settles Trips itself with startled haste over his tongue.</p><p>“They’re <em>sentient?</em>”</p><p>“Mm hm.” Cloud nods. Casual as he’s been about the whole thing. “The materia kinda acts like a. A pact I guess. Between you and them. They tend to prefer certain people too. With a lot more prejudice than magic does.”</p><p>Approximately a dozen, no. A hundred other questions burst to life all through Andrea’s mind but he has a funny feeling he’s just going to get a damn headache if he keeps diving down this particular rabbit hole. Besides, Cloud’s got to be tired of rattling off what are clearly simple, basic concepts to him.</p><p>“Thank you for all this. It’s been rather enlightening.” At least in confirming the fact there’s so goddamn much Andrea doesn’t know. But still. It’s another window into the world—into Cloud’s world, in particular. And Andrea’s grateful for that if nothing else.</p><p>Cloud holds out the green materia. Andrea reaches for it and something in him whispers. More a feeling than a voice. Some new birthed instinct telling him that in his hands sits a Healing materia. Something that goes beyond the fact he’d watch Cloud pluck it from the ground and offer it again.</p><p>“Hold onto that.” Cloud says, climbing to his feet. Andrea starts, staring up at him.</p><p>“Wait— what?”</p><p>“I want you to have it. Just in case.”</p><p>The implication in that should probably worry Andrea more than it does. But it’s hard to feel much of anything beyond shock that Cloud’s just <em>giving</em> him something like this.</p><p>“But—”</p><p>“I’ve got others.”</p><p>Oh. There’s a flicker of amusement in Cloud’s face as he says it. A subtle arch to his brow that stills Andrea’s protests. Feels a little foolish in the moment because of course Cloud does.</p><p>Cloud scoops up the chest again. The orbs within it rattling quietly in time to the sigh Cloud gives.</p><p>“I ought go see if Cid and Vincent want any of it before we head out.”</p><p>“May I come?”</p><p>“Sure.” Cloud replies with a shrug. Already heading out. The next fifteen minutes or so of Andrea’s life is a buzz and jumble of words he barely understands. A few brief arguments about ‘linking’ and ‘wards’ and something about ‘you really want to deal with toad again?’.</p><p>It <em>is</em> an exercise in fascination to watch the other men outfit their weapons in the glittering orbs. He’s noticed the slot like patterns that run along the interior of Cloud’s blade when it splits apart. But now he realizes they’re meant to hold materia. Watching as Cloud presses an orb of shimmering ocean blue and forest green next to each other. The orbs even seem to give. Almost like water pooling to fill a basin as they lock neatly and perfectly into place. They <em>must</em> be able to change size because he sees how much smaller the orbs are along the head of Cid’s lance and dotting the barrel of Vincent’s tri-headed pistol.</p><p>After a whole lot of fussing and shifting and tossing bright orbs toward each other they finally seem to have everything figured out. Cid’d been probably the most picky of the three of them. Arguing with Cloud about some things, but honestly Andrea gets the impression that’s just Cid’s means of communicating usually. Vincent’s apparently content to take “Whatever you need.”. Slotting in and swapping out orbs as Cloud asks.</p><p>Finally Cloud snaps the lid of the chest shut and hauls himself back to his feet. Slots his sword back into the sheath at his back and scoops the box up off the floor. Andrea follows him as they head to grab the things they need from the room. Before he can follow Cloud in however, Andrea’s stopped by a low call.</p><p>“Andrea.”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>Leslie jerks his head and with a sigh, Andrea follows the other into his room. Leslie’s things are already packed. Save the gun he’s pulling from its case. Hazel eyes dart to his briefly before Leslie starts checking the pistol over.</p><p>“What’re you after anyway? You’ve never told me.”</p><p>“I’ve never told anyone.” Andrea replies evenly. And it’s not a lie, not exactly. Jules knows of course, by virtue of being his brother. Still though. If anywhere in the world is ‘safe’ from Coreno’s ears, Andrea supposes hundreds of feet in the air would be it. “I suppose the easiest way to put it, is that I’m after three things.”</p><p>As he speaks, Andrea ticks his fingers up.</p><p>“One, money, to rebuild my Inn with. And, hopefully, to offer support to those of my people who are still alive to enjoy it.” Leslie huffs, but nods. “Two is an electronic drive I know he keeps on him. Corneo holds every scrap of every file— legal and otherwise— that I need in order to build and secure my business. For all he’s a bastard, he does know how to build at least front facing businesses.” It’s something Andrea thinks a lot of people forget. In their rush of hatred towards the slum’s overlord. Corneo did not become ‘The Don’ because he was some mad fool. He was cunning, sharper than many gave him credit for. It’d almost be admirable, if not for what he turned it towards. For the dozens of lives crushed all for the sake of Corneo’s own personal ambitions and desires. “That was one of the stipulations of my entering the Trio. Everything I ever built would end up in his hands so he would profit from it. I had to do whatever was necessary to catch the interest of Shinra and keep it. So that the Don and the Market always had an <em>in</em> with them.”</p><p>The idea the Market had ever, <em>ever</em> been ‘free’ from Shinra both made Andrea want to laugh and wretch. How ridiculous. But, that was the story the Don had ordered be spread and the Inn had been one of the most public faces of that. Enticing, alluring. A spectacle to blind everyone to the fact the vipers were seated in the crowds with them.</p><p>It’d been disgustingly easy to do, thanks to that vile Palmer and his more carnal appetites. Scarlet too would make the odd appearance when she could be bothered to come down from her tower. Those were nights Andrea’d always quietly dreaded. Between them and the dozens of other ‘less’ in Shinra’s employ who’d slink to his doorstep the Don’d <em>never</em> had a reason to be dissatisfied with Andrea’s methods or work.</p><p>It’s what’d lead to their secondary deal a few years in. The one that’s landed Andrea right where he is. The one that has him silently, fervently cursing his younger self for brash stupidity. Never trust a rat. Let alone the king of them.</p><p>“What’s the other?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“You said there were three things. What’s the third one?”</p><p>It’s only years of practise that keep the grimace from Andrea’s face. He hadn’t truly meant that little detail to slip. So he shrugs.</p><p>“Nothing of particular consequence.”</p><p>“Bullshit.” Leslie counters almost immediately. “Bullshit, <em>that’s</em> all you want from him.”</p><p>The quiet outrage in Leslie’s voice almost makes Andrea smirk. It should be flattering. Leslie thinking Andrea’s somehow ‘above’ the vain idea of profit and business. Of course it sounds shallow and ridiculous. That’s the point. But Andrea’s lived enough years in the festering pits of the world that the idea of vengeance has been all but bled out of him. Were he still that young, brash boy who’d walked into the rats' lair with not the first real clue what he was doing, perhaps Andrea’d have that fire in him that’s fuelled Leslie these past few years. Perhaps he’d be doing this to end the bastard's life. To make him pay for all those he’s stolen.</p><p>But how could he, when Andrea’d been part of the reason so many had been funnelled right into his jaws?</p><p>There’s a lingering sort of frustration to Leslie’s expression too. Sharp and tense. Andrea thinks he knows why it’s there. But frankly it’s Leslie’s fault for assuming their ultimate goals stood perfectly aligned. Certain his hunch is proved right when the silverette scoffs under his breath.</p><p>“You do what you want. I’m not letting him get away.” Leslie says, snapping the clip of his gun sharply back into place. His hazel eyes burning and sharp as he gazes up at Andrea. Something defiant. “Never again.”</p><p>“And I won’t stop you.” Andrea says with a nod. Eyes narrowing just a touch. “But don’t rush into it. Lest you forget how it turned out for you the last time.”</p><p>“I won’t screw this up. Don’t try to pretend you don’t want it either, Andrea.”</p><p>Of course Andrea wants the Don dead. It’s one of the reasons why he’d waited so long. Been so careful. He knew he’d only had the one chance. A single opportunity. So he waited. Waited until it felt like fate itself had thrown Cloud before his eyes. Someone who’d had the first real, genuine chance at it. But when that had failed, Andrea’d tucked the idea of watching the man’s blood staining the floor away. Neat and tidy in the very back of his priorities. All that Andrea <em>needs</em> now, are those first few building blocks. All he needs is his life’s work back in his hands and enough monetarily that he has a foundation to build upon.</p><p>This isn’t any sort of blood for blood atonement. It never has been.</p><p>But...it would be a real lie to say that at the moment, that particular desire hasn’t shuffled up the rungs of the ladder</p><p>“If the Don dies today, all the better. But if not, I’m not letting that fact stand in my way.” That is something Andrea swears to himself. He’s had enough. More than enough of letting the Don’s shadow cover his world. “First we find him again. Then go from there. Agreed?”</p><p>Leslie stares at him a moment. Brow furrowed. A heavy, heavy burden hovering on sharp shoulders. A weight settled there Andrea understands better than most. But, finally, he nods. Still determined, still ready for what’s to come. But that worry that’s been hovering in Andrea’s chest lifts, just a little. Enough that he can duck out of the room once again.</p><p>He finds Cloud just finishing packing their things up. The room thrown back into that neat and tidy space they’d found it in. As Andrea enters, Cloud looks back at him. A serious expression on his face as he scoops up the glinting green Materia from the bed beside his bag.</p><p>“Lemme fix your ankle.”</p><p>Andrea blinks. Reflexively glancing down towards his foot. He’d been feeling the sting of it from the jostling of the ship and admittedly less than careful practice with Cloud and Vincent. But it’s hardly incapacitating.</p><p>“It’s just about—”</p><p>“No it’s not.” Cloud cuts him off and Andrea’s eyes snap to him. Surprised by the sharpness in Cloud’s voice. “You need to be at your best for this and I can help. So let me.”</p><p>Andrea’s fingers twitch at his sides. A sudden desire rushing through him to drag this ridiculous, too sweet, thoughtful boy to him and kiss him near senseless. Just right alongside that desire is a flicker of caution and quiet upset. Cloud’s own words ringing through his ears.</p><p>“Magic comes at a cost.” Andrea says, the words more understanding now that he’s had even the smallest taste of that. But there must be a reason Cloud’s offering to do it instead of having Andrea do it himself. Perhaps old or half-healed injuries are trickier to navigate? A risk there that a true novice like Andrea’s unaware of. Whatever the case, Cloud’s just watching him. That stubborn tilt to his expression.</p><p>“It’s fine.”</p><p>Cloud replies like it isn’t even a question. A thought.</p><p>Sweet, stubborn boy...</p><p>“Very well.”</p><p>The relief in the breath that sinks Cloud’s shoulders an inch shouldn’t be quite so prevalent in Andrea’s opinion. Still, it softens him too. Hadn’t realized Cloud was still so worried about it. Andrea leans back and lets Cloud tug at his pant leg. Easing it up to give the blond easy access to his foot. Pulls his other hand away from the materia he sets on the floor with a gentle click. Doesn’t seem to care much as it rolls a little ways away. His hand’s wrapped in that pretty light. Similar, yet somehow different from that of mako Andrea’s used to. Softer. Pretty in the way it shimmers and twines along Cloud’s beautiful fingers as he settles them against Andrea’s skin.</p><p>It’s the same feeling as the last time. The gentle warm. Like water and sunlight. Lighter than air as it twines around and <em>through</em> the lingering ache. Dispels even the very idea of it from Andrea’s mind it feels like.</p><p>Cloud looks up at him and all the air sticks in Andrea’s lungs. A pressure squeezing like a slow vice around them. The residual hits of magic are practically dancing in Cloud’s eyes. Bright and beautiful and otherworldly.</p><p>“Better?”</p><p>Oh Andrea needs him. Needs him close and safe and perfect. Needs to see that look—that quietly, contented peace—on Cloud’s face forever. It’s an absolutely ridiculous thought, but not one Andrea can shake. Even as he reaches to offer Cloud a hand back to his feet. Watches Cloud start a little. Glancing between Andrea’s face and hand. Just a moment before he settles his own in the dancer’s and lets Andrea help him back to his feet. Flashes to something far more pronounced as Andrea uses that grip to pull him close. Right up against him.</p><p>“Perfect.” He murmurs right into Cloud’s lips. Like somehow that proximity might have a better chance at making it reach Cloud’s heart. Make him, perhaps, finally start to understand. To understand these crushing, impossible rushes of emotion that threaten to drown Andrea so often.</p><p>It feels like it ought to be ironic. The fact that Cloud’s the one who sends these storms ripping through the dancer. Yet he’s also Andrea’s anchor in them. A steadfast, seemingly immovable presence. Affixing himself into Andrea's head and heart so easily.</p><p>So Andrea clings to his anchor a little longer than really necessary. Clutching him firm and tender and Cloud’s too sweet. Obliging him like he does. Lips soft against his and eyes so damn beautiful as they finally part.</p><p>“Ready?” Cloud asks. Voice like a secret in the air between them. The dancer smiles.</p><p>“Thanks to you I am.”</p><p>It’s an echo of a night long past. Andrea wonders if Cloud remembers it. Chides himself for the thought immediately. Of course Cloud does, if not for the reasons Andrea does. Whether he does or not, there’s a flicker in Cloud’s expression. Sharp then soft. Surprised then serious. A darting flash of those lovely eyes. A flicker of that sweet, uncertain shyness. It makes Andrea smile. Laugh, soft and deep in his chest. Dips to press another gentle kiss just to the edge of Cloud’s lips. Lingers there for just a moment or two. A quiet unwillingness to pull away. Wants, actually, to pull Cloud to him again. But he tucks the urge away with only a momentary struggle. There’ll be time enough for all of that after.</p><p>How much more wonderful will it be? To have Cloud with him once this awful shadow is gone? One this weight is lifted from Andrea’s shoulders. His life back in his own hands. For the very first time.</p><p>The grin that breaks across Andrea’s face is a wild thing. Too bright, too much. Stings along with the rush of anticipation, excitement and dread that wells beneath his ribs.</p><p>“Let’s do this.”</p><p>Andrea’s more than ready to catch a rat.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Free Falling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <em>*Tiny jazz hands* </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Aaaand we're back~</p><p>Heh. Uh. Well. Let's just say it's been an...interesting and stressful two...two months!? Gosh time flies and also passes with all the speed of a starfish stuck to flypaper. Hehe ^^"</p><p>Anywho~ uh. I could probably ramble on for about another two months in these notes alone but I won't. Just want to give all of my love and heartfelt thanks to everyone who left such kind words about the hiatus in the first place. And an exceptionally special shout out to the Rhife Discord, who put up with my whinging and whining both about this fic and irl like the gd hero's they are. Thank you all. I...well you all know what sort of silliness I'd say here so just...thank you.</p><p>And my dearest, darling, wonderfully lovely beta Avasti. What can I say, you are a treasure and I <em>actually</em> would not have been able to get here again without you. &lt;3 Thank you, thank you, a hundred, hundred thousand times.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Andrea perches atop Fenrir with a pout etched on his face. Kicks his heels idly against the bulky frame and sighs. If he were going to be a <em>nuisance,</em> Cloud really ought to have told him before. Andrea’s fully aware he’s the ‘rookie’ in this scenario, but he feels rather strongly there’s so much more he could be doing to help the flurry of activity bustling around the hangar. Certainly much more than he has done, bringing along what himself and Cloud may need for a few days and tucking it away beneath the seat.</p><p>Alas, he’s been more or less banished and told to, essentially, stay out of the way.</p><p>At least it’s not <em>just</em> him, Andrea supposes, catching the sour expression Leslie has from where he’s seated in the large truck across the way. The silverette doesn’t return the halfhearted little wave Andrea offers. Leaving the dancer to return to his sulk. Sprawling along the bike’s body with a huff. Arms crossed over the handlebars. Careful not to touch anything, much as he can. The last thing he needs is this metal beast awakening and hurting off into the wall or something. Of course, there don’t seem to be any keys or anything on the bike. Actually, thinking on it, Andrea’s not sure he’s <em>ever</em> seen Cloud with a set for Fenrir. Does the bike even use them?</p><p>With another quiet groan, Andrea thunks his head down—carefully—against the smooth, cool metal. Tilts his head to the side after a moment to watch the others. Cloud, Shera, Vincent and even Cait, hurrying about here and there like a flock of startled, yet somehow perfectly organized birds.</p><p><em>Oh sure, the <strong>cat</strong> can help</em>. Andrea grouses inwardly. Knows he’s been an absolute brat about it all, but he’s anxious and being kept away from any sort of action has him antsy. Especially with how relatively quiet the <em>Shera</em> is now Cid has cut the engines. Leaves nothing but voices, clanks, thuds and other such sounds bouncing off cavernous metal walls.</p><p>Andrea’s not entirely certain what all the hubbub is about anyway. Sure they’re going to be splitting into ‘parties’ or so Cloud’d explained. He and Andrea taking the lead, while Cid, Vincent and Leslie follow along in the truck. To cover more ground and area both in and outside of Wutai. It’s a solid plan to be sure, but all the shuffling about’s making Andrea anxious. Knows every moment is just another for the Don to vanish between. That they could reach the city and find nothing. All this time and effort and everything <em>wasted—</em></p><p>Andrea grits his teeth against the thoughts looping around and around in his head. Keeps find himself shoved back into that same silly, useless spiral. Reminds himself yet <em>again</em> that whether or not the damn rat’s vanished again or not, that doesn’t mean this whole affair’s been a waste. Even if all they can find is whatever dank pit the Don’s been holed up in, it will mean something.</p><p>It has to.</p><p>Andrea won’t let it be for nothing. He won’t.</p><p>He can’t—</p><p>“You got everything?”</p><p>Andrea jolts back to himself. Back out of his head and straightens up again. Blinking back at Cloud as the blond comes closer. Tugging on those gloves his. Eyes calm and serious. The dancer answers him with a nod and a wane grin as he takes the helmet Cloud offers.</p><p>“Of course. Are we on our way?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Cloud slings himself over Fenrir as Andrea scoots back obligingly to give him space. Barely a moment before the bike’s rumbling to life beneath them. Tucks in close again, settling his hands in an easy grip against Cloud’s waist.</p><p>“We’ll be right behind ya!” Cid’s voice rings through the air. Echoing just over the sound of the bike’s engine. “Now get the hell out before you leave more scuff marks on my girl!”</p><p>Andrea feels Cloud huff beneath his hands and smiles at the lone blue-green eye that peeks back at him. A check-in that Andrea answers with a firm nod. All the answer Cloud needs apparently. Setting the bike into a smooth, easy reverse as he angles them towards the bay doors Shera’s opened for them. A smile on her kindly face as she waves them off.</p><p>Compared to the interior of the <em>Shera</em> the world is a bright, near blinding place for a moment. Andrea squinting against it before his vision clears and he lays eyes upon the long feared and foreign land of Wutai.</p><p>And it’s beautiful.</p><p>Blossoms to life around them as they streak easily off the ramp. Vibrant and breathtaking. Stunning and yet different to what little Andrea’s seen of the world before. Most noticeable perhaps, is the prevailing stretch of gigantic mountains. They make up a good majority of Wutai’s continent from what Andrea’d spied, both from the map he’d viewed and the aerial view from the deck. So different to any sort of landmass Andrea’s seen before. Even the mountains back by North Corel were of a different sort to these.</p><p>Gazing up at them, Andrea’s glad all over again that they don’t have to brave the crossing. Tales from both Cid and Cloud about the treacherous passage they’d been forced to take the first time they approached Wutai. The one that takes days and threatens lives, even with an experienced party. Another silent thanks echoes in the back of Andrea’s head for the marvel of the <em>Shera</em> and air travel that they bypassed the whole damn thing.</p><p>Instead, the terrain they cross is a far gentler thing. Coastal plains and bypassing forests of trees different to the craggy pines on the way to the Ranch. Softer, somehow. The air itself feels different too, filled with a salty scent that Andrea can now place as the ocean. Lapping at the shores to their east. Can’t quite make out much of it along their route though. Miles of land between where they’d landed and the shoreline. Cid muttering something off hand about the brine being ‘fucking terrible’ for the engines.</p><p>There’s even more mountains ahead of them too. Arching up along their western side. But these are smaller, gentler looking things compared to their kin. Still beautiful though. Hell, everywhere Andrea can think to twist and turn to take in is. Rugged and wild.</p><p>Cloud’s steering them across the wide plains easily. Heading towards yet another large cluster of trees that blossom beneath one of the smaller mountains. Peering hard Andrea swears there some manner of <em>shape</em> carved into the very rock face. But if so it’s too far to make out. Less difficult to spot are the buildings. Grey rooftops peeking out from the trees themselves. The style of them...familiar. Angular and slopped. More evident on the one towering building that sits even further in the distance.</p><p>It hits Andrea, hard enough to nearly knock the air from his lungs. To lose it amid the winds racing past them as Cloud heads right for them.</p><p>That’s <em>Wutai</em>.</p><p>Which means he...he’s finally made it.</p><p>They’re finally here. All the way on the other side of the world. So far from home, the farthest Andrea could ever truly be in a way. Sends a shudder down his spine. Fills his chest with too much. Hope, fear. Welling up and up inside him. Threatening to choke him.</p><p>Andrea has to close his eyes, much as a part of him rebels losing the stunning vision of the world around them. But he needs the moment to sort himself out. To reorder his thoughts. Calm his heart. Tucks closer to the firm, gentle warmth of Cloud before him. Arms around the blond’s waist.</p><p>It’s enough to steady him somewhat. To remind himself just why he’s here. To put an end to it. To what has been his whole life. The worst, and simultaneously best of all he’s ever done. Ever worked towards or achieved. The good. The bad. The missteps and triumphs.</p><p>In so many ways, this is Andrea Rhodea’s, member of Don Corneo’s Trio and owner of Wall Market’s illustrious Honeybee Inn, final stage.</p><p>Terrifying.</p><p>Exhilarating.</p><p>It is all of that. It is none of it. It is...so, so much more than that.</p><p>Whatever happens today, Andrea will have to learn to live with it. A silent promise he’s made himself. Quite through stagnating in the ground. Wilting away beneath a sickly combination of hesitance, worry and fear. No more. Not after today and whatever it brings. Ready to spread his wings again.</p><p>Cloud shifts before him and their pace slows. Enough to draw Andrea’s curious attention. Blinking open his eyes and surprised to find the world not as bright as it had been. A gentle dappling of shadows all around them. Cast by beautiful, rustling leaves of the canopy of trees starting to envelop their path. The tower that’d seemed so far away looming close now.</p><p>Oh.</p><p>The gentle rattle of the bridge and rush of water beneath them echoes the thoughts in Andrea’s head. Sends them spinning out and out. The stage unfurling before as the verdant curtain rolls back. Revealing vibrant red buildings, cobbled and earthy walkways arching over and trailing along a slow river. All filled with broad lily pads. A backdrop of grey mountains and ah. That’s what he’d spotted. There’re figures carved into the rock. Towering high above the buildings around them.</p><p>Cloud’s pace has slowed considerably, doubly so when they cross the lean, rickety bridges. But even so, Andrea feels like he can’t glance around fast enough. Trying to soak in every inch of the place. The sighs, smells and sounds.</p><p>“You comin’ up with new choreo back there?”</p><p>“Hmm?” Andrea blinks, struggling a moment to pull his attention back to Cloud. Catches the other glancing back at him. Something almost amused on what little of his face the dancer can make out. Andrea frowns a bit, wracking his brain to what Cloud means. Choreography requires movement, rather hard to do on a bike. Granted, he has felt Cloud tensing and shifting more than usual. Like trying to compensate—“Oh! I’m so sorry, have I been making things difficult?”</p><p>“Mmm.” Cloud shakes his head. Giving Andrea a rather pointed side-eye. “You forget I ride with the kids. A lot.”</p><p>“Yes, and they’re both good as gold from what I’ve seen.” Andrea replies, feeling sheepish as he makes himself settle again.</p><p>“’s fine. Know it’s pretty different out here.”</p><p>It is. But...but not <em>entirely</em> new. An odd sense of familiarity, almost <em>deja vu</em> gazing up at the shapes of the buildings. The colors. Reds, browns, greens, golds. The shape of them too. It’s like...</p><p>Like he’s looking at miniature versions of the Don’s old mansion.</p><p>The thought sends a brief, biting wash of something cold through Andrea’s gut. Has his grip tightening on Cloud reflexively as the blond turns them down a narrow alleyway. Rough cobbles rattling the bike even harsher than the wilds beyond. The alleyway’s surprisingly well kept all things considered. Only a few neatly stacked bins and the like. All of which Cloud dodges easily as he draws them to a halt.</p><p>Andrea hops off as Cloud kicks the stand down and follows him. The dancer stretches, limbering himself up and glancing back towards the entrance of the alley. A new rush of anticipation buzzing to life in him as he fixes his jacket and starts to head towards it.</p><p>“Hang on a minute.” Cloud says, hand catching around Andrea’s arm and drawing him back a step. Andrea blinks, turning back to face Cloud.</p><p>“Yes? What is it?”</p><p>He watches as Cloud draws his blade from within Fenrir. Gliding a hand along the base of it on the left side. There’s that familiar flash and the sound of something unlocking. Cloud plucking off the smallest of the blade making up his sword. He fusses with it a moment. A click and Andrea realizes the handle of the blade can rotate. Tucking down along the back of the blade, as well as straightening out to a proper grip. Apparently satisfied Cloud flips it back down and reaches behind himself. Andrea hears a series of snaps, rustles and clinks. When he brings it back around, he’s got part of his harness in his hand. A simple sheathe of dark leather that he slips the blade into. He holds it out and Andrea stares at it. Uncomprehending. That feeling lingers even as Cloud takes another step towards him. A short jerk of his arm.</p><p>“Take this with you.”</p><p>Andrea blinks. Cloud words slow to filter into his head and make sense. When it does he lets out a slight chuckle. Eyes darting towards Cloud’s face. Arms curling over his chest. An incredulous smile twitching across his lips.</p><p>“I don’t know the first thing about sword fighting.”</p><p>“Hit the other guy with the sharp end. Not that tricky.” Cloud says, practically pushing the sheathed weapon into Andrea’s chest. One of his hands jerks up to catch it as Cloud steps back again.“And better than you going unarmed.”</p><p>Oh. Cloud’s serious. Just about as serious as Andrea’s ever seen him. It has Andrea’s fingers curling tighter against the weapon. It’s not as heavy as he’d imagined. But it’s certainly not a light thing either. He frowns, a little uncertain as his eyes dart up to Cloud’s face again.</p><p>“You’re...you’re <em>sure</em> you won’t need it?”</p><p>“Positive.” Cloud replies, re-sheathing the main sword along his back again. His blue-green eyes sweep over Andrea a moment considering before he nods. “Should hook on your belt fine.”</p><p>It takes a few minutes. Not to attach it, that’s the easy part. But Cloud makes him try a few different configurations. Vertical, diagonal and horizontal. Until Andrea admits he’d feel more comfortable with the blade obscured. Walking around with a weapon in Wall Market tended to mean one of two things. You could back it up with extreme prejudice or you paid for it. Dearly.</p><p>So Cloud helps him fuss with it. Tifa’d warned him about the weather, so Andrea's layered himself up in a few lighter articles that could be striped or added as needed. They’re largely loose, cottony affairs that breathe easily and will hopefully spare him feeling like he’s going to sweat his face off. They also prove handy for obscuring the bulky shape of the blade. Settled beneath both the layers of his shirt and flowing cardigan.</p><p>Once they’ve that figured out, Cloud has him check and recheck that he can get at it easily. Knows how to quickly shift from it’s compact state to weapon form and back. It’s not as elegant as Cloud makes it look, but it works. A few practice swings to get a feel for the weight of it. Both compact and as a ‘proper’ sword. It’s not as intimidating as Andrea’d thought it’d be at least.</p><p>Finally satisfied Cloud nods and turns to head out into the streets as Andrea resheathes it. Andrea catches him before he goes more than a step or two. Tugging Cloud back against him and catches the startled noise he makes with his lips. Kisses him briefly, sweetly in gratitude.</p><p>Not entirely sure if Cloud gets it, that flicker of confusion and question hovering in his bright eyes. Tilts his head as he eyes the dancer.</p><p>“Ready?”</p><p>“As I’ll ever be.” Andrea replies. Still with that tingle of something like nerves. Refuses to leave him entirely alone it seems. Frustrating, in that it’s not something Andrea’s used to dealing with. Never truly had to worry about things like ‘stage-fright’ and the like. Not like this. And to find them here in what may well be the final performance of his life is more rattling than it ought to be. His saving grace at the moment seems to be that Cloud’s with him. Steady and certain as he meets Andrea’s eyes seriously.</p><p>“Stay close to me.”</p><p>“Like glue.” Andrea chimes, unable to keep the smile from his face. Grows a little when Cloud huffs, but jerks his head for Andrea to follow him as they head back out onto the streets.</p><p>On foot it’s easier to get a proper feel for the place, Andrea’ll admit. Vehicles outside the odd chocobo drawn carriage still have a strange sense of foreign otherness to them. Andrea’s spent near his whole life besides traipsing to and from places on nothing but his own two feet. He finds it’s easier to get a read on people that way too. You can learn a lot about someone based solely on how they carry themselves.</p><p>The rhythm he finds in Wutai is rather unlike any he’s come across. Oh certainly the bustle of bodies and voices and such carries a certain level of familiarity to it. The Market was rarely, if <em>ever</em> truly ‘quiet’. Even in the daylight hours where those not native to it’s streets would look upon it and hardly recognize it as the single most extravagant centre of every kind of pleasure or vice known to humankind.</p><p>And there <em>is</em> chaos here too. But it’s of a far more orderly and careful sort. People clearly watching their step, respecting space as much as they can in the narrow streets and crammed together buildings. It’s quieter too, calmer in a strange way to Andrea’s old home for all it seems just as busy.</p><p>The two of them walk slowly down the street, side by side, hip nearly bumping as they carefully join the public dance of to and fro.</p><p>“What’s the name of Madame M’s contact again?” Cloud asks as they cross over one of the bridges again, heading closer to what Andrea assumes is the city centre. Andrea hums, he’d had plenty of time to drill that information into his head waiting on everyone else’s final preparations.</p><p>“Daidara. Supposedly involved in some manner of smithing or something. But she didn’t specify much other than that.” Stings, but Andrea can’t exactly blame her for her lack of trust in him after his recent screw up. Cloud hums and nods.</p><p>“That’s okay. I know—”</p><p>“There you are! About time Cloud. I’ve been waiting for you <em>all</em> day.”</p><p>Andrea starts, flinching at the sudden loud voice over the quiet of the city. Glances around them. S<em>omething</em> draws his attention up. Up and up to find Yuffie perched, rather dramatically, atop one of the nearby roofs on the other side of the bridge.. The long ends of her headband waving in the warm breeze, hands planted on her hips as she peers down at them. With a grin she jumps, flipping neatly through the air to land not far from them.</p><p>“Check your phone then. You knew when we’d be coming.” Cloud replies, with that usual put-upon sigh in his voice whenever it comes to the girl. Sharpens into a more steely edge, his eyes casting about the space. “And keep it down.”</p><p>“Whatever. You always worry too much.” The girl replies, flapping a hand at him. Her brown eyes dart to Andrea. Alight with that seemingly unending mischievous energy. “Oh heya. What was your name again?”</p><p>Andrea’s a little flattered by the exasperated noise Cloud makes. The faint apologetic flicker through his expression when he glances over at him. And just chuckles, offering a hand.</p><p>“Andrea. It’s nice to see you again Yuffie.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah sure. So—” Yuffie claps her hands together with a conspiratorial grin. “Where’re we headed?”</p><p>“You know anyone named Daidara in the weapon’s trade?”</p><p>“Oh geez, that old lump of bones? Seriously?” Yuffie rolls her head back with a<em> groan</em>. The long tails of her headband swaying in the scant breeze.“<em>Fine</em>, c’mon.”</p><p>With nothing else, Yuffie spins on a heel and hurries away down one of the nearby streets. Briefly spinning and jogging <em>backwards</em>, as she hollers at them to “Hurry it up, slowpokes!”</p><p>Cloud very, very pointedly doesn’t hurry and the sedate pace makes Andrea laugh. He can say he’s in all <em>that</em> much of a hurry either. Eyes and ears peeled to the world around them. Curiosity and intrigue plucking his attention in all directions as he follows at Cloud’s side.</p><p>Wutai continues to rather defy any and all expectations Andrea may have ever once had.</p><p>For start, it’s a far, <em>far</em> more a commercial centre</p><p>But, well, again expectation all but bred into him as a Midgar native was that Wutai were fierce warriors. Battle hardened and ever ready for war. The narrative that every man, woman and child were raised and taught to fight the rallying cry for so much of Shinra’s calls for enlistment.</p><p>Andrea doesn’t see...well. Any of that frankly. Not in the slightest as they wander the streets. Just your usual vendors of food, medicines and trinkets. He just sees people. Dark haired, dark eyed. Friendly faces largely, particularly the vendors who think they’ve caught anyone eyeing their wares.</p><p>Even once they reach Daidara’s shop, while Andrea would never, <em>ever</em> claim to be any sort of expert, he can’t help but feel the suits of armour on the racks and weapons lining the walls are far more decorative, than practical. More gold than iron and even Andrea knows it’s a flimsy metal for weaponry.</p><p>For all he’s been trying not to get his hopes up about any of it, Andrea still feels a bitter sting of disappointment when the elderly man doesn’t have much to share with them. Nothing all that unusual going on. Of course, if the Don’s been here for years as Andrea <em>heavily</em> suspects, the time for that has long since passed. Andrea supposes he’d hoped that fleeing had at least kicked up something of a stir somewhere. Alas—</p><p>“—pretty quiet around mostly. Even with the uptick in people.” Daidara’s voice crackles like an old fire. Probably from the smoke of the forges Andrea can smell even from the ‘showroom’. The armourer taps the long, thin sword on his shoulder absently. An absent, semi-permanent frown on his grizzled face. “Odd time of year for it too.”</p><p>“That’s true. Normally we don’t get groups like this for another month or so.” Yuffie chimes from where she perched on the back counter. “Pops said it’s probably got something to do with the renos they’re doing out in Costa. Shoving people down the line to us.”</p><p>“You’re sure they’re tourists?”</p><p>“Duh.” Yuffie replies with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. Hoping down she brushes off her khaki green shorts. “Well this was a bust. C’mon! Let’s keep moving. No way we’re losing out to Cid!”</p><p>With that and barely a breath between, Yuffie’s darting back out into the quieter streets beyond.</p><p>“Remember when I had that kind of energy.” Daidara says with a weary chuckle. His deep hazel eyes flit towards Cloud. “How’s <em>Tsurugi</em> been treating you?”</p><p>The blond straightens. Meeting the other man’s curious expression with a nod. “Good.”</p><p>The answer, short and simple though it was, seems to please Daidara. The weapon-smith nodding with a sharp, wolfish grin. “Glad it’s no longer gathering dust. I’m sure the old man would’ve been pleased by it too.”</p><p>Daidara waves them off with an errant hand as he ducks back into the bowels of the shop. Andrea tags along close behind Cloud as the blond ambles towards the streets once again.</p><p>“This is where you got your sword from?” Andrea asks, genuinely intrigued. Has to admit it’s been an errant thought now and then. Why Cloud’d retired his old weapon when Andrea’s seen for himself it still appears to be in rather immaculate condition.</p><p>“Parts of it.” Cloud replies with a vague shrug. “Had to track down some of the others.”</p><p>“Hurry up you slowpokes!”</p><p>Their conversation is laid to rest as they both hurry after Yuffie’s vibrant enthusiasm. They trail in her wake as she leads them through the city. Across streets and over bridges. Darting here and there in the midday sun. Tifa’s warnings about the humidity more than proving themselves in record time. Andrea’s halfway tempted to just strip his shirt entirely, but the unfamiliar weight of the blade at his back still stops him. Andrea has absolutely <em>no</em> idea how Cloud isn’t completely expiring in all his dark, heavy clothes. But he can see the perspiration darkening the blond’s hairline and dragging at his usual spikes. A gentle flush rising in his cheeks.</p><p>Yuffie takes exactly zero pity on either of them. Dragging them along through the streets. Across bridges, down alley’s through shops and cramped, but tidy markets. Cloud vanishes, briefly, and returns to offer Andrea a wide, flat fan with a rather lovely design of a bird sewn into the pearly white material.</p><p>It takes every ounce of will power Andrea has to only thank the sweet boy, not kiss that pretty face behind it while Yuffie’s briefly distracted by the appetizing scent of food nearby.</p><p>“—it was <em>so</em> gross.” Yuffie finally transitions from what feels like an hour's worth of chatter. Drifting from Wutai itself to their more immediate goals. Which had, naturally and inevitably turned to her own personal experience with the Don. A tale as familiar to Andrea’s ear as it is sickening. Yuffie’s eyes turn to his. Voice muffled around a bite of one the delicious steamed buns she’d introduced them to. “So how’d <em>you</em> know this Corneo guy anyway?”</p><p>“I worked for him.” Andrea replies truthfully. Unsurprised how that seems to take her aback. Eyes widening and she gapes a moment. Followed by an immediate wash of suspicion. “Though that could be said of most everyone who lived where I did.”</p><p>“Oh yeah. Cloud said he was a huge scum lord. How’d you get mixed up in that?”</p><p>“Circumstance and foolish choices.”</p><p>“I’ll say.” Yuffie scoffs, dusting her hands off, planting them on her hips as she stares at him. “You’d have to be an idiot to fall in with jerks like him—”</p><p>“Right. Like you’ve never done stupid shit.”</p><p>Cloud cuts her off. Andrea has to bite back a grin. Touched by the apparent defensiveness in Cloud’s curt frown. Still, he’s not out to deny Yuffie’s perhaps harsh words as truth. Andrea knows all too well that he was a fool. Just as he’s aware that it was either him stepping into the mess of his own volition, or being dragged into it under someone else. And he’d chosen to keep whatever modicum of control he could over his life. That, at least, Andrea can’t say he regrets.</p><p>“C’mon. We need to keep moving.”</p><p>But keep moving to where? And to what end? Feels like they’ve traced every street in the area at least twice by now. But there’s been nothing. Almost less than nothing. Hell if weren’t for multiple accounts from the Madame and others besides, Andrea’d wonder if the Don’d ever been here. This quiet doesn’t suit the sewer rat. Andrea can’t imagine Corneo occupying a space—especially not for so long—without leaving some sort of trace. Some sign.</p><p>But...perhaps they’re looking at all this the wrong way? After all, the Don’s specialty is all <em>below</em> the board. Out of the spotlight. Out of public eye.</p><p>Wutai isn’t Wall Market naturally. It <em>feels</em> different. Even with his ears peaked for any mention of strange or shadowy activity. That’d always been easy to find in the Market. Whispers and rumours, though most were quickly silenced. Either by more experienced souls or Corneo’s goons. Always on the prowl. Making sure nothing left that they didn’t want. The organized chaos of the market had been a largely carefully groomed thing. But the architecture's got such a familiar and bold design to it that Andrea’s mind keeps tripping over itself looking around. Even hours into their wandering.</p><p>It’s not something Andrea’s ever thought of, not really. The idea that <em>this</em> is where the Don hailed from originally. And perhaps it isn’t. Perhaps he just took inspiration from Wutai’s culture. But still, he’d built and shaped his entire empire around it. The brilliant red tones, the dragon emblems, the statues. All of it. All of it an echo of the world Andrea’d grown up in.</p><p>For that reason he can’t seem to decide if the feeling tickling the back of his neck is nostalgia or worry. Even without the familiarity the town around them is beautiful. Elegant. But because of its association in his head with the Don, it feels rather like he’s walked right back into the man’s palm in some ways.</p><p>....Maybe he has.</p><p>Maybe that’s why—</p><p>“Dammit where the hell is this guy!”</p><p>“Yuffie.” Cloud cuts her off sharply. Weary fire flickering at the back of his words. Andrea can’t blame him. Or Yuffie. They’ve wandered the streets and poked their noses into damn near every crevice of the city. And sure there’d been a few odd little whispers and rumours—strange sounds in the night or people poking around in odd places. But no matter where those whispers lead them, it all boiled down to dead ends and quietly aching feet.</p><p>“Perhaps we ought to regroup with the others.” Andrea steps carefully into the potential argument. Noticed Yuffie and Cloud tend to butt heads over the simplest of things at times. Never mind something as exhausting as this. Cloud attention darts to him. Something flickering in his eyes before he nods, fishing out his phone. He takes a few steps away from them, tucking it against his ear. Yuffie huffs and folds her arms over her chest. Impatiently tapping her boot on the ground.</p><p>“I bet he’s run scared knowing <em>I’m</em> on his trail.”</p><p>Andrea hums, absently. Rolling his shoulders and stretching now they’ve paused a moment. Plucks at the neckline of his sweat-damp shirt and jerks it lightly a few times to stir up something of a breeze. The fan Cloud’d got for him helps certainly.</p><p>With the pause in their excursion and the heat killing a <em>lot</em> of Andrea’s general enthusiasm for the whole endeavour, Andrea drags his eyes slower around the area. Taking in where they’ve wound up in what’s felt like senseless, aimless wandering.</p><p>They’re closer to the towering structure now. The incredible statues etched out of the very mountain close too. The sight of them awe inspiring indeed. There’s a few groups of people scattered at the mountain’s base. It even looks like there’s some manner of path leading up, too. Though it seems largely empty. Few souls willing to make the apparent trek.</p><p>Andrea gets that odd prickle at the back of his neck. It’s happened a few times today off and on. The feeling of eyes on him or something. But he hasn’t really spotted anything out of place. Just the busy bustle of people. Blames the newness of the place and turns to greet Cloud with a half smile when he wanders back towards them.</p><p>“Told the other’s we were heading to the statues, so let’s move.”</p><p>Even as Cloud finishes and starts moving, Andrea’s gaze darts up. Peering through the gentle shade of the vibrant leaves to their destination. Admits that, of Wutai as a whole, the uniqueness of the mountain structures continued to snag his attention off and on whenever they’re in view. Another, quieter spark of excitement alighting inside him. Enough to push some of the weary, anxious buzz away.</p><p>The three of them follow the well worn path through the trees. Even Yuffie’s apparent ever present energy seems dimmed. Sparking as a sharp edged snark she constantly lobs in Cloud’s direction. Whatever patience Cloud may’ve had for her seems to have evaporated through the long day. So he returns the barbs or stonewalls her with impunity. No surprise she starts bouncing off of it to turn her attention on Andrea.</p><p>“You’re <em>sure</em> this guy’s here? Like a hundred percent?”</p><p>Andrea nods for what feels like the dozenth time. Barely able to hold back a sigh. He’s not out to question his sources, not when they’ve gotten him this close. Closer than he’s been since Wall Market.</p><p>“Yes. Well, at least that he <em>was</em>. There’s a chance he skipped town the last two days.”</p><p>“<em>Uuuugh</em>.” Yuffie throws her hands into the air. “Cloud! Why aren’t we checkin’ out where he was last time then?”</p><p>Andrea didn’t think it possible, but Cloud’s shoulders thread even tighter. Prowling the path a few steps ahead of them. A dark shadow in a riot of lively green.</p><p>“Because Cid and Vincent have it covered, like I already told you.”</p><p>His words are harsh, but true. Andrea’d heard Cloud relay roughly where Cid and the others would be covering so they could better focus on a smaller area for the sake of being thorough. Granted that was at the start of all this. With hours and near countless steps between then and now. Andrea can’t say he blames Yuffie for forgetting. Or her clear impatience.</p><p>“And they didn’t find anything?” She sounds skeptical. That touch growing and growing as the day’s wound on. Only rising with the setting of the sun in the distance. Dipping down behind the mountains. “Like nothing—hey!”</p><p>Cloud doesn’t offer her any sort of answer. Just picks up his pace again and Andrea’s already aching feet throb in protest at the idea. Yuffie stares at his quickly retreating form. Mouth agape and eyes wide. Hovers on her toes a moment before she turns a very interesting shade of red.“You’re <em>such</em> a dick sometimes!” Yuffie shouts after him. It does exactly nothing to stop Cloud. With a yell Yuffie tears off into the trees. Something vague and angry about going to find ‘not assholes’. Andrea assumes she means the other trio.</p><p>Yuffie vanishes quick as a flash amid the shadowy foliage. Andrea hovers only a moment more before hurrying off after Cloud. No sense in them <em>all</em> getting separated. Blessedly Cloud does slow at least a little when he realizes it’s Andrea following him. Something shamefaced and quietly apologetic in the tired shadows of his face. A quietly mumbled “<em>Sorry</em>.” that Andrea accepts with a smile and gentle nudge of his hip.</p><p>“So what is this place anyway?” Andrea asks, gesturing with his fan towards the looming mountain as they break the tree cover. Following the straight, well worn path as it spills out into a more open area right at the base of the mountain.</p><p>“Call it the <em>Da-chao</em> Statue. One of their water gods.”</p><p>Makes sense that there’d be multiple Andrea realizes, given the prominence of water within Wutai proper, and the surrounding areas. Hell, the ocean itself acted as one of the biggest deterrents to any who tried to encroach upon the nation. He nods, letting his gaze wander from the main statue to the other smaller ones alongside it. He wonders if all of them carry similar titles, or if they make a sort of pantheon.</p><p>“Must be important to carve him into the very stone itself.”</p><p>“Yeah. But their biggest one’s Leviathan.”</p><p>“Leviathan...” Andrea echoes. Curling a hand against his chin and taping his cheek. Mulling it over because the name sounds ever so vaguely familiar. “That’s a water serpent or something, isn’t it?”</p><p>“Or something. You know all the dragon kinda symbols everywhere?” Andrea nods. “They’re all tributes to her.”</p><p>“Gracious.” Andrea’s eyes go wide. Recalling seeing the motif positively everywhere in town. Cloud just nods and jerks his head. Andrea shaking himself from his surprise only to realize they’ve reached the base of the towering <em>Da-chao</em> statue. Somehow it’s even more intimidating up close. And more beautiful. So many incredible details worked into the earth itself.</p><p>This near Andrea realizes he wasn’t seeing things earlier. There is indeed a path which runs up into the mountains. Winding around and even along the statues if he’s seeing things correctly. The mountain itself seems fairly quiet. Nowhere near the number of locals or foreigners that had been in town. Just a few stragglers a bit of the way up the path. Andrea wonders just how high it goes—</p><p>“You wanna head up?”</p><p>Cloud’s voice snags Andrea’s attention back down to the ground. Blinks as he meets curious blue-green eyes.</p><p>“I thought we were meeting the others?”</p><p>Cloud shrugs. “Here or up there doesn’t make much of a difference. Sounded like they were still wrapping stuff up anyway. So could be a while.”</p><p>Ah. More waiting either way then. Joy. Andrea sighs. Rolling his head to loosen the crick in his neck. Too long peering upwards at an odd angle. Taps the end of his shoes against the hard packed earth at their feet and rolls his ankles to attempt to ease the aches pounding at him. Still surprising not to have to baby his ankle after weeks of it. And infinitely glad he’d bottled his damn pride and let Cloud heal it. Especially after the abuse it would’ve taken today.</p><p>“Oh, uh. Sorry.”Andrea jerks his attention back quickly at the unexpected words. Blinking startled at Cloud. At the worried light in his eyes. “If you’re tired we don’t—”</p><p>Oh this silly boy. The smile that pulls at Andrea’s face is all too soft. Reaches out to tap at Cloud’s lips. Hushing the other gently and chuckling.</p><p>“And miss out on what very well could be a once in a lifetime chance? I think not.” Andrea’s going to ache one way or another. Pushing on a bit further isn’t going to make much difference either way. So with a touch of flair he gestures towards what he now realizes is an actual path winding up along the mountain. “Lead the way, lovely.”</p><p>Cloud looks a touch wary a moment before he sighs, nods and Andrea follows along in his wake as they strike off up the path. It’s a well worn, but well tended thing. Snaking up along the cliff face and along the statues themselves. Clever little passages hidden with care to blend into the carvings themselves. Past giant hands and over <em>Da-chao’s</em> massive torso.</p><p>They edge past what few others are up here, quickly climbing even higher. Doesn’t seem any have the adventurous spirit to follow. And not many left around with evening drifting closer by the minute. Shadows falling heavy as they lose the daylight. But Cloud’s clearly sure of the path and his footing and Andrea’s happy to follow along. They climb and climb. The way surprisingly steep in places as they angle upwards. Along the path that wraps around the back of the <em>Da-chao’s</em> main head, past a small cavern entrance that’s awash in shadows and looks sealed up tight. Out onto one of its posed arms. A little thrill in Andrea’s gut as he carefully follows Cloud out towards the wide, gently curled hand.</p><p>The distance and spectacle is enough to snatch what little breath Andrea manages to catch as they turn to gaze back down towards Wutai.</p><p>“Oh my...”</p><p>The village they’ve wandered for hours seems so...small, from this vantage. Nestled among the trees with its winding waterways glinting in the setting sun. The myriad lanterns strung up along and between the buildings all being lit. Mimicking the odd, glowing bugs that Andrea’d noticed in the air as evening drifted closer.</p><p>Seeing as they’re alone and he won’t be obstructing anyone, Andrea eases himself down to sit on the end of the path. Keeping as well away from the edge as he can seated near the centre of the statue’s palm.. Cloud doesn’t join him on the ground. But he does relax somewhat too. Leaning back against the warmed rock of the statue. Watching the city wind down, nightlife taking its place.</p><p>Wutai lacks the bright, neon lights of Wall Market. But there’s something about the softer ambience of the lanterns which reminds Andrea sharply of what was once home. Catches him square in the gut with an ache that briefly makes his eyes burn. Shakes his head and drags his eyes away. Silly to get caught up in all that now.</p><p>
  <em>Time and place Andrea, you’ve wasted enough of that today already.</em>
</p><p>Clearing his throat, Andrea’s gaze turns back towards the base of the statues. Peering down to see if he can spot Cid’s blond hair or Vincent’s crimson cape yet. A little surprised when he doesn’t. They’ve been up here a good while now. The sky a deep purple with only hints of orange marking the horizon. A chill rising with the incoming dark. Makes Andrea wrap his thin cardigan a little tighter around himself. Idly rolling the handle of his fan between his hands.</p><p>“Just about here.” Cloud says, apparently catching Andrea’s fussing. Andrea glances up at him. A tired smile flickering on his face as he watches Cloud tuck his phone away.</p><p>“Should we head down then?”</p><p>“When you’re ready.” Cloud shrugs, unhurried. Andrea chuckles. Left up to him they may spend the night up here. Entranced by the lights in the growing darkness. But no. No this isn’t some time away from the world. They’re here for a reason.</p><p>“What’s the plan anyway?” Andrea asks. Tucking the fan back into his belt and stretching.</p><p>“Regroup. Swap intel. Go from there.”</p><p>Andrea huffs a little. Cloud makes it sound so simple even as the dancer frowns to himself. Can’t speak for Cid’s group yet of course, but after their rather spectacular failure at turning up anything useful, unless the other’s show up with bells on, claiming they ‘found him’, Andrea can’t say he’s holding out much hope for this undertaking. Those fragile flickers of hope he’d clung to the past few days snapping to pieces and dying out in the rush of his sigh. He feels battered and bruised, somewhere down inside himself. Dashed against cruel rocks again and again every time they were met with silence and dead ends.</p><p>Not to mention with the day getting as late as it is, perhaps they ought to call their search to a halt. Try again in the morning with a fresh set of eyes. The idea of potential rest and reprieve finally gets him moving. Andrea hops carefully back to his feet.</p><p>“Well. Wouldn’t do to keep them waiting. Shall we— Cloud?” The smile he’d managed to dredge up fades quickly. Vanishing as Cloud suddenly shifts, turning away. Tense. Faintly glowing eyes peering further up the mountain trail. “What’s the matter—”</p><p>“Heard something.” Cloud says. Voice short as he raises a hand. Gesturing for silence. Andrea’s quick to heed it. Something uneasy prickling at the back of his neck at the seriousness of Cloud’s tone. And it hadn’t been a question either. No, Cloud’s certain he’d heard something. The tension the blond’s holding in his shoulders leeches into Andrea’s. Reactionary. Turns to scan the statues, a rather futile effort considering the coming night. And he doesn’t have the benefit of enhanced night vision like a SOLDIER does.</p><p>Whether he does or not, he’d be a fool to miss the way Cloud’s shifted in front of him. Angling to carefully shield as much of Andrea as he can. His weapon’s not drawn, not yet, but he’s got one gloved hand curled around the handle. Ready and watching with that intense hyper vigilance. Waiting to spring into action.</p><p>Andrea hears a sound. Footsteps. Thudding along the path. Hears sudden whispers and quiet, coarse laughter. Suddenly there’s a bright flicker. Sharp against the gentle darkness. Andrea flinches briefly. Raising a hand to shield his eyes as one of the lights—<em>flashlights</em>-- steps closer</p><p>“Well, well, well.” The nearest voice says, Andrea can hear the grin in their tone. “Lookie what we got here boys.”</p><p>Even more lights turn their way, a wan, shoddy spotlight spilling down over them. There must be close to a dozen of them with the number of lights. Glinting off red fabric and a familiar gold symbol that has Andrea’s gut churning. They’re Corneo’s men, no doubt about that. Andrea was raised in a world where that symbol had been nearly as far spread as Shinra’s own. Seared into his mind and memory.</p><p>“Thinkin’ we found the Don’s little pest problem.” The taller, heavyset man nearest them continues. Another heavy step towards them. A softer one echoes it, Cloud easing back a touch closer to Andrea. Hand still on the hilt of his sword, but he hasn’t drawn it yet. Andrea wonders what he’s waiting for, until he notices a glimmer at Cloud’s wrist. Faint, but steadily glowing brighter. Materia orbs, Andrea realizes. The light from the green orb seems to feed into the blue one alongside it.</p><p>“What cha gonna do with that big ol’ slab up here, pretty boy.” One of the others sneers. The ominous sound of a gun being cocked loud in the relative quiet. Cloud inches them another step back. Andrea can’t see his face, but he can hear the quiet, calculating anger there.</p><p>“Take another step and find out.”</p><p>There’s a shift in the air, something prickling along Andrea’s skin. A few bouts of coarse laughter. But they’re not <em>all</em> idiots it seems. Some catch on to the apparent threat. Shifting nervously or even taking a step back. Their ‘leader’ is one of the smart ones, but also quick to shove it down behind a mask of bravado. Sneering down the barrel of his own gun.</p><p>“Ain’t got nowhere to go but down, tough guy. Maybe we oughta get you to repay the favour you did the Don.”</p><p>Andrea blinks. A faint chill rushing down his spine. That’s right. Cloud’d said the Don’d taken a fall. Off of a cliff wasn’t it? If he’d meant anything like this it’s little wonder Cloud’d been so shocked the man apparently survived.</p><p>Cloud doesn’t say anything to the threat. The next moment, whatever spell had been hovering around Cloud’s wrist bursts. Splitting into two smaller orbs. One darting along the air to strike near the centre of Andrea’s chest. He sees it, feels an odd, ripping energy and as it bursts a ‘cage’ of blueish honeycombs, ringing like struck crystal and static as the orb shatters. Down into twin strands of light that dance all around Andrea’s body. Circling and spinning in opposition to each other. Their long, multi hued tails leaving an after effect of sparks glinting in the dark.</p><p>Andrea barely has time to register it. To note that the sparks are also spinning around Cloud as the blond’s suddenly facing him. Reaching for him.</p><p>“Hang on.”</p><p>“What—!?”</p><p>The question gets cut off in a gasp as Andrea’s feet leave the ground. Cloud sweeping him up into a tight hold. One arm at his back, another under his knees. Andrea’s own arms flying with instinct and haste to clutch tight around the blond’s neck. Doesn’t get thought or breath to do anything but feel <em>stunned—</em></p><p>Cloud <em>jumps</em> off the fucking statue.</p><p>A shout bottles itself in Andrea’s throat. Tight and choking. A mix of thrill and danger that gets his heart beating so hard he thinks it’s leaving bruises on his ribs. They plummet down. Down and down into the darkening shadows. Shouts and the sound and flash of haphazard gunfire follow them. The wind rushing past them with a speed that almost sounds like screaming before, suddenly, they land.</p><p>Andrea winces on instinct from the impact. Hears a hard breath leave Cloud’s lungs and jerks his attention back to the blond’s face. Worried that he’d perhaps hurt himself with that sudden, daring feat.</p><p>“Cloud—”</p><p>Oh.</p><p>The mako in Cloud’s eyes is positively burning. A vivid, near acidic green that writhes and wriggles like some creature longing to be set loose. That odd buzzing feeling in the air hasn’t gone away either. Shifted, perhaps, but still very present. Perhaps it’s simply because Andrea’s never <em>really</em> been around or so close to Cloud when he ‘turns on’ the<em> real </em>SOLDIER business, but there’s something horribly fascinating about it. Something abrasive too. Especially when that intensity’s pair against the flick of calm worry as Cloud’s attention turns to him. His grip loosening finally as he lets Andrea find his own feet once more on the path.</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p>“More or less.” Andrea replies around the way his heart's still a step or two faster than usual. Gives himself a shake, his attention drawn once more to the magic encircling them both. Reaches to brush one of the lights as it darts along Cloud’s arm. A brief jolt of similar, yet<em> different</em> feeling to one the healing materia gave him.“What is—”</p><p>“Barrier- a shield. Mitigates damage, doesn’t block it. Down!”</p><p>Andrea ducks without thought or hesitation. Just in time to all but feel and <em>hear</em> the air suddenly rush past his head. A clang of metal, then a shout. A quiet snarl from Cloud. He steps, shoves his weight forward and Andrea shifts in tandem on some instinct. A shout, the sound of a gun firing.</p><p>It’s rather like a dance. If a far more <em>life threatening</em> one than Andrea’s ever danced before.</p><p>One instant his hand is in Cloud’s. Being tugged back and around, bits of shrapnel and rock glancing harmless off the<em> Barrier</em> Cloud’d tossed over him. A brief flicker of white-orange from the bursting gunfire above. The next he’s watching, wide-eyed as that same hand glows. The air snapping with electric energy. The sharp sting of ozone and an even brighter flash of light overtaking the gunmen. Blade in Cloud’s other hand blocking a wild strike from a broad, tall grunt bearing Corneo’s sickeningly familiar mark. Cloud knocks their attack off balance and sends the man tumbling down off the edge. He doesn’t look at Andrea as he speaks. Eyes fixed on the path behind and the scurrying, formless shadows and flickering lights above.</p><p>“Keep heading down. If the other’s aren’t there, get to town. You remember how to get to Daidara’s?”</p><p>Andrea’s hearts still hovering in his through. Adrenaline and more pouring through his veins. Takes a moment for the other’s words to register.</p><p>“I— yes. I think so. But Cloud—”</p><p>“Go.” The sword looks like it weighs nothing the way Cloud spins it. A flash, a sound and then he’s a blade grasped in both hands. A brief glance of bright eyes over his shoulder. An intensity in them that almost looks <em>angry</em>. “Andrea, <em>go!</em>”</p><p>Andrea wants to argue. Wants to stand firm. These aren’t <em>monsters</em> they’re facing down, they’re people. And he may be rusty, but surely he can be of <em>some</em> use here—</p><p>But even just this briefest of encounters has Andrea questioning that wish. Realizing that his presence is slowing Cloud down. Distracting him. Andrea is little more than a liability on the field. So clear because he <em>knows</em> Cloud could deal with this rabble too easily. But instead his focus is torn between the fight and keeping Andrea safe.</p><p>Andrea’s not a fighter. Knows how, of course. But it’s far from something he takes any particular pride in. And yet it still rankles him. Nudged off the stage and into the wings when this is <em>his</em> fight—</p><p>Andrea bites back the feeling with difficulty. Forces himself to take a step back, then another. The voices and footsteps getting louder, closer. It isn’t as though they’ve found Corneo after all. Not like Cloud’s chasing him away from his end goal. Just a handful of his goons, which, while unnerving in and of itself, doesn’t really mean anything.</p><p>Except for the increasing likelihood that the rat’s still lurking somewhere nearby.</p><p>Andrea frowns, hands curling at his sides. It’s the sign he’s wanted, <em>needed</em>, all day but. As it was with the break-in this feels far too. Calculated. Intentional. So...they’ve been watched, most likely. Those increased number of tourists both Yuffie and Daidara mentioned, were they a part of some long, grand scheme?</p><p>He certainly wouldn’t put it past Corneo.</p><p>Andrea curses under his breath and darts off. Heading down the mountain towards the flickering lanterns past the bend and further down the slope. God, Cloud’d practically gotten them to the base of the statues in that one, terrifying leap.</p><p>There are people at the base of the mountain, but Andrea knows at a glance that it’s not the rest of their party. That feeling of being watched and <em>trapped</em> spiking sharp in his chest as he jerks to a halt. Not sure if he’s been spotted yet or not. Presses back against the edge of the slope. As he does he feels something press into his back, reminded sharply of the blade Cloud’d given him. Let’s out a slow breath, a silent thanks and reaches to draw it from its sheath.</p><p>There. Maybe four of them prowling about. Lantern light flickering off batons, knives and Andrea’s certain he sees a firearm of some sort. That’s perhaps what worries him the most, the other’s he’s a better chance of handling. Still it seems he’s got of the element of surprise at the moment. Their eyes more turned towards the treeline than up the mountain. And while Andrea can tell it's starting to fade, the ‘barrier’ Cloud threw over him is still in effect. If he’s going to do this, now’s his best chance.</p><p>With a steadying breath, Andrea shifts his stance to an angle. Trying to present as small a target as possible as he edges down the path. Towards the muttering voices.</p><p>“—saw that light! Ain’t normal—”</p><p>“Can it. We got a job to do. Leave up top to ‘em and <em>focus</em>.”</p><p>The lanky one with the potential firearm’s sitting closest to the path. If Andrea can just get to him first, then it’ll make the rest of this somewhat easier. Of course it leads him to a rather personal quandary. And it’s that he’s no interest in taking lives. Ever, but especially because he knows the sorts Corneo likes to snap up. Some of them can be general scum of Gaia herself, of course. Vices and vile tendencies that slot right alongside the rat’s. But others are just desperate souls who feel like they’ve no other options. Seeking this, that or the other and falling into those careful, deep pits the Don’s so quick to dig around their feet.</p><p>Andrea can’t imagine that particular status quo changing. It’s how the Don built and kept his numbers back at the market. Constantly siphoning in ‘new blood’. Because there were always hosts of eager, desperate souls ready to step in.</p><p>Andrea shifts his grip on the blade in his hand. Feeling the weight of it. When compact, it’s more bottom heavy. Could probably work as an effective bludgeoning tool if needs be. And it likely will, as Andrea gets within feet of the prowling, restless goons.</p><p>“Ain’t there supposed to be more of ‘em.” The twitch one with the knife keeps pacing. Back and forth. Back and forth. Like a caged Bloodhound. The glint of his blade flashing again and again. Hands twitching towards it, or spinning it idly around spindly fingers.</p><p>“The hell you think we’re keeping <em>watch</em> for genius?”</p><p>“But if he’s gonna let that <em>thing</em> out—”</p><p>The genuine nerves in the knife-wielder's voice surprises Andrea. Catches the faint shimmer of sweat on the tanned brow. What are they talking about—?</p><p>“Shut up.” Snaps the gunman. Andrea’s heart picking up in his chest as the man straightens, going to turn. “You hear—”</p><p>Andrea lunges. Two quick steps to close the distance and slam the heavy hilt of the knife into the back of the man’s skull. Sends him thudding to the dusty ground. The gun he’d been about to draw clattering almost too loud in the quiet.</p><p>“The hell!?”</p><p>Both the gunman’s companion’s whirl towards him. The heavyset one with the baton takes a wild swing. Andrea ducking down to dodge it, kicking the gun away to skitter off into the shadows. Out of reach of any of them as he spins to catch the lanky one’s wrist before the knife can sink into his side. Steps, pulls and drags that arm tight around the other’s back. Twisting his wrist sharp enough to make him fumble and drop the knife. Andrea’s quick to press his own blade to the man’s throat. Silencing him and as a warning to the other.</p><p>“Drop the weapon.” Andrea tells ‘Baton’, as the man snarls at him. He blinks, wide eyed for a moment before he grins. Sharp and cruel in the wane light. A sudden buzzing in the air as electricity sparks along the metal rod of his weapon.</p><p>“You think I give I shit!?”</p><p>Andrea’s gut twists with disgust. It’s not a particular surprise, not from the sorts Corneo recruits. But it’s still a sickening lack of concern for life. For one’s supposed companions. And it’s clear his hostage hadn’t expected it either.</p><p>“H-hey, hey, hey!? <em>Wait</em>--!” The kid shouts, loud and terrified. Jerking away from the man charging towards them. Andrea feels the idiot nick himself in the motion and jerks the blade away before he accidentally cuts the boy’s throat. Frightened the kid practically <em>squeaks</em> as Andrea takes his knees out from under him. Sends him toppling to the ground and out the way.</p><p>There’s a spark and blast of gunfire and suddenly ‘Baton’s’ topping to the ground with a shout. Bleeding heavily from a gunshot to the shoulder. Enough to incapacitate but not to kill as his weapon skitters along the ground throwing sparks.</p><p>The next moment Vincent’s stepping out the shadows. Gun still aimed at the man on the ground. His gaze briefly flickers to Andrea. The vaguest tilt of his head—a <em>nod</em>, perhaps—before he turns his focus back to the wounded man. Cid strolls out only a few steps behind him, Yuffie darting past them both to scoop up the baton and twirl it with surprising dexterity inches before the man can reach it again. Jabs it threateningly at the man’s face, making him reel back.</p><p>“I don’t think so, mister.” She says with a wild grin and far too much cheer. She fusses with the handle a moment, making a sharper spark leap off the end of the baton. The glint of lights off the splatter of blood on his jaw and the sweat trickling down the man’s brow.</p><p>“You fucker’s ain’t got no idea who you’re screwing with.” He says, voice raspy with pain as he clutches his shoulder. “Don’t know shit ‘bout what he’s got planned and you’re gonna <em>regret it—</em>”</p><p>“Shut up!” Cid grouses, slamming the butt of his spear into the man’s temple and sending him sprawling in a heap on the ground. “Dumbasses always fuckin’ talking.”</p><p>“Hmph. I coulda handled it.”</p><p>“Sure, sure.” Cid replies, fishing his ever present carton of cigarettes out from his jacket and lighting one. The <em>clink</em> of his lighter an oddly bright sound in the quiet.</p><p>“Cloud?” Vincent asks, finally lowering his gun as his eyes turn to Andrea. Reflexively, Andrea’s gaze darts up and back towards the statues. Seems quieter up there now, but still no sign of Cloud.</p><p>“Above. We got set on by a number of others.”</p><p>“They connected to the fucker we’re hunting?”</p><p>“Yes. Speaking of,” Andrea turns, flicking the handle of the black back down. Realizing the barrier spell has faded entirely now. His eyes land on the last remaining of Corneo’s lackey’s. He’s scrambled away from them. Seated near the base of the mountain and<em> staring</em>.Shifts further as Yuffie flounces over towards the first man Andrea’d knocked out. Quick to bind him up and fleece his pockets, as she had already with ‘Baton’. Muttering under her breath something about how they ‘better not have taken<em> her</em> materia’.“How about it, little mouse? Spill what you know and you can walk out of this.”</p><p>“I-I ain’t no snitch!” He snaps. Andrea hums, tilting his head. Eyes narrowing</p><p>“No? You’d keep loyalty with people who just tried to kill you?”</p><p>“T-that’s not—” ‘Little Mouse’ stammers. Eyes flickering to the now no longer sparking baton on Yuffie’s got on her belt. “I...I—”</p><p>The rapid sound of footsteps has them tensing, turning. Peering up the shadowy trail. The sound gets closer. Closer and Yuffie jumps back. Their little mouse scrambling away from the path on hands and knees. Yelping when Cloud emerges from the shadows. Steely mako eyes bright and sharp as the blade in his hand. The look in his eyes pins their new ‘friend’ in place.</p><p>“The <em>hell</em>...”</p><p>“Yo, you finally finished with the trash?” Cid drawls around a long drag. Cloud’s eyes dart to the pilot and he nods. Cid grins. “Took you long enough.”</p><p>“Whos’ this?” Cloud asks, a brief jerk of his chin towards their untied captive who’s still practically shaking and sweating where he’s frozen in place.</p><p>“A little mouse who’s deciding if they’ll cooperate.” Andrea replies. Meets Cloud’s curious gaze before turning his back to the thug. Smart enough to not try and make a break for it at least.</p><p>“Fuck...<em>fuck</em>.” The kid sinks his head into his hands. “Boss ain’t said nothing about <em>this. </em>Said it’d be easy.”</p><p>“Then you were grossly misinformed I fear.” Andrea replies. “The only <em>easy</em> part of this is you sharing what you know.”</p><p>The grunt flinches. A brief glance torn between defiance and cracking at the seams. It’s almost comical the way the others attentions all turn to each other rather than their ‘guest’.</p><p>“So we run around town the whole damn day, then these cockroaches are crawling up our ass?”Cid’s on his second cigarette. Blowing through them with frankly worrying speed. Andrea absently wonders if it’s a sign of stress or him being pissed. “Don’t seem like a coincidence.”</p><p>It’s Cloud who nods. A frown shadowing his face. Somehow making his eyes brighter. “This asshole’s too clever for that.”</p><p>“Hn. Not clever enough to keep his head down.”</p><p>“Mm. What’d you find?”</p><p>“Jackshit. You?”</p><p>Andrea’s not particularly keen to hear their day’s failings rehashed. So he ducks away to head for their frightened little mouse. Comes to a halt a foot or two away as he crouches down to meet the young man’s eyes.</p><p>“I am quite serious about that offer you know.” Andrea says, voice even. “And I’m sure you realize it’s your best shot now.”</p><p>“You don’t know that.”</p><p>“But I do. Because I know Corneo.” Andrea cuts in, eyes narrowing. In both seriousness and memory. “You’ve failed. And he doesn’t tolerate failure. Certainly not without someone paying for it.”</p><p>It’s clear the thug knows that. Andrea can see that horrified flicker in his eyes. The brief slack and then tightening of his jaw. A fresh tremble not unlike the one Cloud’d given him, rattling his shoulders.</p><p>“He’s—”</p><p>He doesn’t get further than that. Not before there’s a great, resounding explosion. Sounds nearly right atop them and when Andrea jerks his gaze upwards, the stars are being obscured by some billowing, dark stream of what must be smoke. Rising up from the left side of the statues.</p><p>“Shit...” It’s only because Andrea’s so close still that he catches the muttered, quickly rising voice from their captive. “Shit, <em>shit! </em>Said they weren’t gonna—”</p><p>“What happened!? What was that?” Andrea demands. Feeling a few of the others' attention turning towards them. Cloud not even a foot from where Andrea is now. Every one of them on high alert. Yuffie and Cid’s attention turned upwards to the mountain and the sky beyond.</p><p>“I-I don’t know! Dug it up outta some—some fucked up place underground.”</p><p>Andrea hears, sees and <em>feels</em> Cloud tense at his side. Staring at his half illuminated face and the tense, dark shadow of his brow. Sparking awfully in his eyes. Andrea’s mind quietly racing. Cloud’d said himself he had...’work’ to do over here. Which means this ‘place underground’ could very well be an old Shinra facility. The blond certainly seems to think so. And the thought of <em>Corneo</em> having his vile hands over that sort of horror makes Andrea feel <em>sick</em>.</p><p>But none of them have long to dwell. Not when a new sound starts rising into the air. High pitched and shuddering like a poorly tuned note. Rising and rising like a <em>scream</em>. Ringing through the once peaceful air as suddenly a <em>new</em> shape starts to emerge from the depths of the mountain itself. Huge and writhing.</p><p>“<em>More </em>goddamned Shinra bullshit!?” Cid snaps, spitting the stub of his cigarette to the ground. Cloud’s already moving.</p><p>“Bitch about it later. We need to stop it—”</p><p>The ‘scream’ above them pitches. Shifts. That same, horrifying, vacuous inhale Andrea remembers from that awful morning at the ranch. Light flaring in the darkness. Bright red-orange and flickering fast as it casts relief on to the <em>monstrosity</em> trying to unearth itself from the hold torn into the mountain. Some great, winged, bird-like creature. Before any of them can react the thing screeches once more and the light—<em>flames</em>, though they fall far more like liquid to Andrea’s mind--building in it’s crooked beak burst forward.</p><p>Towards Wutai.</p><p>The shout that rips from Yuffie’s throat’s one Andrea knows viscerally well. It rings out over the crackle of burning wood as the spray drips down over the forest, rather than the nearest buildings. Small mercies, but it’s clear from the thickening smoke that the flames are spreading.</p><p>“This fucker that insane!? Or is he tryin’ to burn the whole damn town!?” Cid snarls, “Fucker’s gonna get tangled up in it too.”</p><p>“Unless he’s somewhere that won’t burn...” Cloud murmurs, almost absent. More to himself and there’s a distance in his eyes for a heartbeat long enough to have worry kicking up in Andrea chest. But it fades as Cloud lets out a breath, his gaze razor sharp as he snaps his attention up to the red-cloaked man not two feet from him. “Vincent. Can you keep it out of the sky?”</p><p>“I’ll do what I can.”</p><p>The words have barely left Vincent’s lips before the man’s <em>gone</em>. Andrea hasn’t the first clue how he’d describe it. Like he vanishes into the crimson shroud of his cape, which writhes in a wind Andrea can’t feel and streaks off. Up and out of sight. Cloud’s already turning to his other companions.</p><p>“Yuffie, Cid, I need you both back in town—”</p><p>Cloud doesn’t even finish before Yuffie screeches at him. “Like hell, you jackass! I’m fighting—!”</p><p>“Look, listen to—”</p><p>“No! This asshole’s threatening <em>my </em>town. I’m not going to stand on the sidelines while you get all the—”</p><p>“What’s the hell’s more important to you!?” Any threads of patience Cloud might have had left snap. Andrea can see it in the vibrant, chilling glow of his eyes. Hear it in the sharp, whip crack of his words. Tense, fraught and <em>brutal</em>. “Showing off or making sure people don’t fucking <em>die</em> tonight?”</p><p>Yuffie reels back a step. Eyes wide, mouth agape as she stares at Cloud for a heartbeat. Two. Eyes wide and mouth twitching into a weak scowl. If she has any retort, it’s stopped as Cid steps forward.</p><p>“So what’d you want?”</p><p>The breath Cloud takes in and lets out <em>shakes</em>. A clearly forced calm and evenness, both to how he’s holding himself and the tilt of his voice.</p><p>“Get people moved, far as you can. That thing’s got range and some nasty tricks.”</p><p>“You’ve fought one of these fuckers?” Cid sounds both skeptical <em>and</em> impressed. Cloud nods, short and sharp.</p><p>“Something similar, yeah.”</p><p>Something uneasy settles in Andrea’s stomach at Cloud’s words. If what the ‘little mouse’ had said earlier was right and that monster’s one of Shinra’s...</p><p>The sick feeling intensifies. Sharpens into a knot that lodges in his throat. Because he remembers, <em>vividly</em>, that horrifying burn that Cloud’d come back with. On his last run through Midgar’s dirt secrets. His eyes go wide, snapping to Cloud. The blond’s gazing up to the sky. To the monster and the flash and distant noise of Vincent opening fire at the thing.</p><p>“Vincent and I will try to stop it, but—”</p><p>“<em>Ey</em>, don’t start bitching.” Cid spits the stump of his cigarette to the ground and stomps it out. “We got town. You deal with this fuckery. C’mon girl, let’s move.”</p><p>Yuffie goes with a surprising lack of fight. Letting Cid nudge her along before the two of them pick up speed as they reach the path again. Darting off into the darkness towards the distant town light and the far off sound of rising voices and noise.</p><p>“Cloud—”</p><p>Two-toned eyes jerk towards him. Wide and startled like Cloud’d forgotten he wasn’t alone. A look in them as he gazes at Andrea a moment the dancer can’t quite describe. Worried, sharp yet somehow...apologetic?</p><p>“Go with them.” Cloud says, jerking his head towards where Yuffie and Cid disappeared. Idly adjusting the grip on his sword as he turns to face Andrea better. His eyes darting across Andrea’s face another moment before they drop. Tension in his shoulders and a quiet, almost sigh in his voice. “I know this wasn’t the plan. But I. I need to—”</p><p>Andrea knows he’s staring. Eyes wide, expression probably too open. He can’t get himself to stop. Heart beating hard. Loud in his ears. Feels like the world’s lurching under his feet the way Cid’s ship tended to.</p><p>Because the pieces, the meaning to that <em>look</em> in Cloud’s eyes suddenly tumble sharply into place and Andrea can scarcely breathe around them.</p><p>God this boy—</p><p>But there’s no time for sentimentality. Not with the shouts getting louder, a flicker of too bright color and heat starting to haze and smoke in the air. Not with the way he catches Cloud’s attention darting back and up. Towards the battle. Towards where heought he to be, instead of dawdling here.</p><p>“Here.” Andrea closes the few steps between them to offer Cloud his blade back. Cloud blinks at it. Gaze surprised, then stubborn. Andrea can<em> hear</em> the protest before they ever cross Cloud’s lips. So he does what Cloud did earlier and pushes it into the blond’s chest so he has to take it.“You’re the one who’ll be doing the fighting, Cloud. <em>You</em> need it.”</p><p>“But there might be more of his thugs out there.” Cloud protests and Andrea nods. He’s certainly considered the possibility, but that doesn’t change the facts Cloud’s going to be up against some mutated <em>hell spawn</em>. Who’s kin’d already harmed Cloud in the past and Andrea will be <em>dammed </em>if he lets it happen again by not allowing Cloud to be at his full strength.</p><p>“I won’t be alone. Leslie will be with me. We’ll stick to the streets and avoid crowds best we can.” Andrea locks his hands behind himself. Taking an easy step back. Cocking and hip and offering Cloud a winsome smirk. “Besides, this kind of swordplay doesn't suit me.”</p><p>Cloud stares at him a moment, but finally folds. Sighs as he slips the smaller blade back into its proper place. Andrea admits he’d hoped for something of an icebreaker. But given the fast brewing trouble, he’s not all that surprised Cloud hadn’t registered the innuendo. The severity of it all settling heavy on Andrea’s shoulders. Brief flicker of a grin dying quick as it came.</p><p>“Be <em>careful</em>.” Andrea says, fighting every desire and instinct in him to grab hold of Cloud. Pull him close and keep him there. So Andrea <em>knows</em> he’s safe. But he knows that Cloud’s needed. Fighting at his friend’s sides and helping them put a stop to the monstrosity Corneo’s unleashed.</p><p><em>Because you kept up this fools errand. </em>His mind hisses traitorously. Tries to shut it away, but if Corneo’s been here for years and only <em>now</em> stirring up trouble. Well...the only thing that’s <em>changed</em> is them being here.</p><p>Andrea shakes his head. Harshly. Trying to fling the thoughts away. Cloud hovers, just a moment or two more before he’s gone. Turning on a heel and racing away towards the very heart of the danger threatening them all. Andrea <em>really</em> doesn’t like the way the flickering light—a fire?--is slowly inching closer over the treetops.</p><p>They need to get moving. His eyes dart around the area, searching.</p><p>“Leslie? C’mon we need to—”</p><p>His gaze lands on the silverette, who’s standing close to the mountain path. Peering up into the dark with a quiet scowl. But his eyes are calculating.</p><p>“Leslie?”</p><p>“You said they came out of the mountain...?”</p><p>“I can only assume, given how quick they fell on us.”</p><p>“Then won’t that be our best shot?” There’s something quietly frantic under Leslie’s voice. “Find whatever hole they crawled out of and follow it. Strife said that’s probably where he is, right?”</p><p>The very idea’s foolish. Not to mention dangerous. Andrea’s seen first hand how treacherous the mountain path can be and that was when there was still some manner of visibility. Not to mention the fact that Corneo’s men could still be lurking around it. Hiding in the shadows.</p><p>But...</p><p>“I...”</p><p>It’s also the only road forward. The only chance that they have. If he doesn’t take it...then what was any of it for?</p><p>“Is he right?” Andrea asks, spinning on a heel to grab hold of the thugs arm as the young man tries to scramble up and away. “If we search the mountain, will we find what we’re after?”</p><p>“I-I dunno. Maybe?  It’s not the way we got to him, but I-I know he’s got ways in. Said it was the safest place. It’s where all our roads ended up.”</p><p>It’s enough. More than they’ve had all day. Andrea will take it. He shoves the timid, helpful little mouse away and watches him scurry off into the darkness. Foolish, probably. Likely going to scurry right back to whatever hole he crawled out from. But if they move quick enough, it may not matter.</p><p>Andrea’s hands curl briefly to fists at his sides. Nails biting deep and sharp into his palms. Frowns to himself. <em>At</em> himself. Wasn’t he the one constantly insisting this was <em>his</em> fight? His battle to be fought? And now he’s dragged a whole goddamn <em>town</em> into the fray. Without choice or thinking about the damn consequences.</p><p>Andrea lets out a breath. Cursing as it shakes and drags his gaze to Leslie’s.</p><p>“Alright. Let’s go.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Sinking Beneath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><strong>PLEASE READ THE NOTES</strong><br/>Hello lovely readers. Sorry to stop you here on the journey of Delivery’s birthday update, but this is very, <em>VERY</em> important.<br/>This chapter is <strong>dark</strong>, the darkest we’ve gotten so far. And probably one of the darkest we’ll ever go. And has a LOT in it. Now, a number of these warnings are only appearing in this chapter, so they’re not being added as tags. Instead, I’m going to list the myriad content warnings here in the notes. So please <em>READ THEM</em> and take care of yourselves. Nothing is more important than your well being. As I feel so strong about this, I am going to put a summary of things and plot relevant events into the end notes. So absolutely feel free to skip down to read them, so you can stay abreast of what happens that will matter down the line. You can search this page for "Summary Start" to find it quick and skip the chapter! Here’s what we’re dealing with:<br/><strong>C/W’s</strong>: Violence, blood and injury, strangulation, (brief/mild) claustrophobia, stabbing, breaks/sprains, gunshot wounds, beatings, panic attack, anxiety, references to human experimentation, implied animal cruelty, derogatory language, dismemberment, character death<br/>With all that said. A massive shout out to our beta, Avasti, who helped me pin down ALL of those content warnings and just is generally the Actual Best. Now, let’s go eat birthday cake and catch a rat. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They climb. Retreading the path Cloud had led Andrea up not an hour ago now. Yuffie’d filched flashlights off of the thugs at the base of the mountain, and they’d liberated them for their own use. They keep to the walls as much as they can. Climbing until they can peer over the treeline and Andrea’s brought to a halt by a mighty, sickening screech and a crash that sounds like thunder. Barely catches himself on the wall as the ground seems to shake. Staring out with growing horror and fury.</p><p>He was right about the fire. Hungry flames crackling through the vibrant greenery of the trees. Devouring, but slow at least, thanks to abundance of moisture within them. Harsh wet snaps fill the night and thick plumes of smoke push into the thankfully still air. No breeze to move the flames quicker. Means it’s yet to reach the town proper and from what little Andrea can make out from this distance, Cloud and Vincent are both fighting tooth and nail to keep it that way. To stop the beast before it can unleash even further devastation.</p><p>It seems like slow progress. The beast toppling from the sky- the cause of the crash and the violent tremors, smashed down a small portion of the forest. A makeshift, jagged clearing of broken trees. It’s less than an ideal battlefield, clearly. Not much room to maneuver and the trees still standing, or burning down.</p><p>The flames give Andrea a better view of the Thing and it’s just as morbid as he’d thought. More so. Massive, leathery wings torn and bloodied. Riddled with cuts, bullet holes and splinters of branches. The feathers marking its body ragged, chunks of them missing here and there revealing odd, bluish grey skin. An unkempt, unsightly mishmash of things. Scaly feet with vicious talons lash out at the two much smaller figures circling it. Darting in close and leaping away just in time. Visible only due to the flames and the twin tails of swirling energy around them both. Barrier, perhaps, but it looks different. Brighter. More pinkish-purple shades to it than blue.</p><p>The flash of Vincent’s gun has rarely stopped far as Andrea can tell. The creature screams again. It’s odd, misshaped beaked maw splitting wide. A new burst of fire gathered there. Burning and burning—</p><p>There’s a new burst of light. A large lightning bolt materializes over it’s head and crashes down. Jarring the beast and making it writhe. Shooting the flames into the air where they ripple and fall like deadly rain. Spattering the ground all around it.</p><p>Instinct has Andrea lurching forward, too close to the path’s edge. Heart in his throat as his eyes tear across the flaming ground below. Looking for any sign—</p><p>“Watch it Andrea!” A hand and Leslie’s sharp voice grab him. Hauling him back and tearing his gaze away from the destruction. “Come on. We need to go.”</p><p>“...Right. Right.” Andrea manages to choke out. Letting Leslie tug him further along the path. Heart still thudding too loud in his ears. Worry, anger and so much else flooding all through him. Spinning around and twisting tight and sharp as thorns through his insides.</p><p>
  <em>Nothing you can do Andi. Just trust him. Nothing you can do but keep moving. Get to the head of all this madness and try to stop it—</em>
</p><p>As they wind up past the <em>Da-cho</em>’s head once more Andrea wracks his brain. Wishing he’d paid closer attention. Surely there must have been <em>something</em> off about the path. Some...some little side passage or—</p><p>“Wait.” Andrea hurries forward, ignoring Leslie’s disgruntled “<em>Hey!</em>” behind him. But Andrea continues up and around. Sweeping his light along the walls of the mountain until darkness swallows the beam. “There! That tunnel was blocked off when Cloud and I passed earlier.”</p><p>“Shit...guess the little weasel was right.” Leslie says, voicing the surprise Andrea feels through a quieter wave of relief. And a larger one of anxiety.</p><p>“Lucky us. Come.”</p><p>With trepidation and no more time to waste, the two of them step into the tunnel. Their flashlights reflecting off of rough hewn surfaces. Unnervingly quiet for everything, save their footsteps as they edge deeper and deeper. A strange breeze which carries traces of gunpowder and smoke lingering the air. And something...odd. Like...burnt meat or something. They find the cause as they edge past the massive wound torn open in the rock-face. A fresh gaze at the smoke filled air and forest slowly being engulfed in flames. Much closer to town now.</p><p>“I don’t like it.” Leslie mutters under his breath. “It’s too quiet. That guy said setting that thing loose wasn’t ‘the plan’, didn’t he?”</p><p>“Yes.” Andrea replies through a frown. “Though I question exactly <em>what</em> the plan was. Why cause a stir when he could’ve easily slipped away?”</p><p>“You think it’s a trap.” Leslie glances at him. It isn’t a question.</p><p>“Of a sort.” Andrea says. Recent events making it all too clear they’ve been watched. “But we’re already here, so— did you hear that?”</p><p>They both go still. Straining a moment to listen.</p><p>Footsteps. Coming towards them. And a flickering trio of lights.</p><p>Almost as one they flick off their flashlights and move. Fast and silent as they can. Shoving back into one of the odd alcoves that cut into the mountain walls. An odd heat to them compared to the rest of the stone as Andrea presses back enough that he can just peek around the side.</p><p>“—sayin’ it ain’t—ah <em>shit</em>. What a fuckin’ mess.”</p><p>There’s odd crunches and rustling and the sound of someone gasping and retching. Coarse, harsh laughter that echoes off the stone. The trio of people—more of Corneo’s men, Andrea can see the flash of gold and deep red—step clearer into view.</p><p>As they do Andrea nearly retches himself. The light of their flashlights sweeping along the ground and unveiling what he and Leslie’d missed while their attention was elsewhere.</p><p>Bodies. Or at least what Andrea only assume <em>were</em> bodies. Charred and scattered along the ground like bits of discarded refuse. Splatters of blood along the ground and walls. Whomever they were, they’d clearly gotten in the beasts way when it tried to escape. Or caught in the blast that took out the wall. It’s a sick, cold wonder if it was the beast itself or if Corneo had set explosives the Thing’d set off on accident.</p><p>“Get it together you wuss. Like you ain’t ever seen bodies before.” Says another voice, different from the first. A taller shadow edging towards the hole in the wall.</p><p>“Fuck. Nothin’ for it. Pitch ‘em over the side. Pyro’ll take care of the rest.” Says the first thug. “Make it quick, Boss says we’re shipping out soon.”</p><p>The words make Leslie tense beside him and Andrea jerks his gaze away from the sickening sight. Meets Leslie’s eyes and shakes his head, pressing a finger to his lips. Leslie scowls, but nods. Lowering the gun he’s held at the ready since they stepped into the cave.</p><p>It’s disgusting, but quick work. The two apparent ‘lackey’s’ dragging and pitching remains over the side of the cliff, to tumble down into the crackling forest below. When the worst of it’s gone, their ‘leader’ calls them back from the edge.</p><p>“C’mon. Gotta let Sam know what happened.”</p><p>Andrea’s gut twists. Reflexive and sharp and he shoves the thought back. Sam’s a common enough name. Might have nothing at all to do with the man Andrea knew for so many years.</p><p>“Well, at least we know we’re on the right track...” Andrea says, feeling faintly nauseous. It’s no <em>surprise</em> of course. The Don cares only for himself. Far as he’s concerned the world is a simple revolving door of fodder. Things for him to use up and toss away. “Let’s move. We can follow them if we’re careful.”</p><p>“Or we could just deal with them now.” Leslie replies, eyes sharp. “You heard them. Corneo’s getting ready to run. We can’t waste time.”</p><p>“I can’t speak for you, but I don’t particularly feel like throwing hands- or knives, or <em>bullets</em>—tonight. At least not if we can avoid it. Causing a stir’s only going to hurt our chances.” Andrea replies. Folds his arms over his chest as he watches the younger man. “He’s being cautious, clearly, but Corneo’s obviously confident what’s going on out there will be enough to keep him safe. On our own, we don’t stand much of a chance if we bring this whole place down on our heads.”</p><p>“Look, I’ve stood with a gun to his face <em>and</em> with your SOLDIER boy behind me and the Don still got away. So excuse me for not thinking that’d make any difference.” Leslie gestures down the passageway after Corneo’s men. “We either do this now, or we’re screwed. Whatever it takes.”</p><p>“Salient point. But we’re still outnumbered and need to be smart about this.”</p><p>“Fine then, what’s your plan?”</p><p>It isn’t much of one. But it’s something at least. Brewing in the back of Andrea’s mind. Lifts a hand to stroke his chin idly. Trying not to gaze too long at the soot and blood still staining the ground.</p><p>“I’ve never known Corneo’s men to have much camaraderie.” Leslie hums. Nodding. “And if what I saw out there’s any indication, they’ve filled out ranks with fresh faces. Perhaps we can incapacitate a pair of them and borrow their attire. Hide in plain sight as it were.”</p><p>“Guess anything’s worth a shot.”</p><p>“My thoughts exactly.” Andrea replies. “We’ll take it slow. Keep watch in case they come back this way. I doubt they’ll want to leave such an obvious hole in their defences long, even if they are moving camp.”</p><p>“Okay. Let’s do it.”</p><p>The two of them duck down the tunnel. Leaving behind the light from the fire as they walk. But unwilling to turn on their own lights. Going to be hard enough doing this already, they don’t need the added risk of detection. Winding along a slow curving and sloping path</p><p>They don’t make it far before they hear more noises. Voices and echoing footsteps. Sends them retreating back quick to the nearest alcove. This one far shallower than the last as they press back much as they can into the shadows. Andrea’s pulse fluttering in his throat. Might not be enough cover if they’re at all on edge about what’s going on.</p><p>“I know he’s gotta have his damn pets, but why that one? It’s uncontrollable. You saw what it did—”</p><p>“You gonna quit bitchin’ any time soon? Ain’t nothing we can do about it. ‘Sides, ain’t our problem anymore.”</p><p>By some small miracle, the two are more engrossed in their squabbling to notice as they head past where he and Leslie are hidden. Andrea releases a slow breath, keeping his voice below a whisper as he addresses the other.</p><p>“We need to do this fast and quiet. These tunnels carry too much noise.”</p><p>Leslie nods, serious as Andrea’s ever seen him. It’s relieving and does a small something to calm his own nerves. Carefully, Andrea sheds his cardigan. Twists it into a smaller and stronger, rope between his hands. Neither of the thugs looked like they had firearms on them. Smart, honestly, given the close quarters of the cavern. Too much risk in a bullet ricocheting. Good thing then that he trusts Leslie’s aim.</p><p>Carefully they edge out of their hiding place. Creeping along the dark passage, back the way they’d come. Following the sound of the grunt’s voices. The scent of smoke is sharp in the air, far worse than it had been even a few minutes ago. Morbid though it might be, it’s clear whatever’s going on beyond the hole blasted into the wall is keeping Corneo’s men’s attention.</p><p>Easy enough then, to get the relative jump on them.</p><p>Andrea throws his arms up, looping the twisted cardigan around the nearest man’s neck. Pulling tight and twisting to cut off the inevitable shout. The other starts, lurching back from where he’d been leaning out the gap in the wall with a curse.</p><p>“The hell—?!”</p><p>But his voice gets cut off at the cock of a gun as Leslie steps into the man’s space. Too close for the man to have any hope of dodging should Leslie need to pull the trigger.</p><p>“Shut up. Not a word.”</p><p>The man Andrea’s got in a hold flails. Clawing at the fabric at his neck, then at Andrea. Kicking and twisting, trying to get free. Doesn’t take long though for those sharp motions to turn slow and sluggish. Knees giving and Andrea waits just a moment as the man goes completely still before he lets go of the tension to let him slump unconscious to the floor.</p><p>Andrea’s quick to strip the man of his jacket, setting it to the side as he eyes the other man. Who’s staring, angry and surprised at him. Andrea offers him a cordial smile as he gets to his feet.</p><p>“My thanks for your cooperation. When you both wake again, I suggest getting out of here.”</p><p>“Wh—”</p><p>Andrea throws a solid hard punch directly into the man’s jaw. Hears Jules’ voice in the back of his head. Coaching again and again on proper technique and where to strike if needed. It’s a skill Andrea’d employed a great number of times in the Inn. Once, twice and the grunt drops like a stone. Andrea catches the back of his jacket to keep him from going over the edge.</p><p>“They’re not gonna be out long.” Leslie says, holstering his gun again and tugging on the jacket Andrea’d left on the ground while Andrea slips on the second one. He also scoops up the hat that rather miraculously hadn’t fluttered off the edge.</p><p>“No. And ideally we won’t need long.” Andrea replies, forcing himself to focus and not gaze out into the world beyond. Tempting though it is, they don’t have time for distractions. “But, for a little extra insurance.”</p><p>It’s a sad thing to do, but as the needs must. Andrea plucks the rather wicked knife from the man’s belt and cuts his cardigan into strips. Tosses three to Leslie and the two of them tie together both the men’s hands and feet as well as gagging them to stop them from calling for help too soon.</p><p>Getting back to his feet, Andrea dusts off his hands, glances at Leslie and down at himself. Not ideal, none of it. But at a distance and hopefully with the chaos of them trying to flee, this will be enough to get them close to Corneo.</p><p>“Onward we go.”</p><p>It feels...claustrophobic almost. Stone paths and darkness. Diving deeper into the mountain. Perhaps it should make him feel safe, to know there’s sturdy stone overhead, but it doesn’t. Just adds to that slow, sinking feeling. The odd, uncomfortable fit of the jacket around his shoulders.</p><p>Deep and deeper they go. Unnerving that they don’t see or <em>hear</em> anyone else. Just silence and darkness that breaks rather suddenly as they round an oddly steep bend. The sudden light—electric and bright—stings Andrea’s eyes and he ducks beneath the rim of the cap he’d taken. Blinks a few times to clear the spots and feels his insides twist and tense.</p><p>Oh they’ve definitely stepped into the rat’s nest now. The chamber packed near to the ceiling with <em>things</em>. Extravagant and chaotic. No rhyme or reason save near everything Andrea can see must be worth small fortunes. Seems this particular habit of the Don’s hasn’t changed in the slightest.</p><p>It sickens Andrea. Always has. Maybe it’s hypocritical, given his own love of finery and flair. But the Don doesn’t collect such things because he <em>wants</em> them. He does it so they cannot sit in the hands of anyone else. Parsing out bits and pieces as bribes and false pats on the back. Only to be snatched back up when their recipients meet ‘unfortunate’ ends.</p><p>It gives them plenty of things to duck behind and between. Because it isn’t just <em>things</em> they’ve found, but yet more people. A cluster of them scurrying around here and there. Voices echoing off the stone.</p><p>“Get those boxes to the pit! And make it quick!” Barks one of the men lounging atop a series of crates.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah. You really wanted it done, you’d lend us a hand.”</p><p>“Done enough. I’m on break.”</p><p>“Don’t let the Boss catch ya sayin’ that. Or he’ll feed ya to Pyro way he did Grant and Louis.”</p><p>The callous, uncaring laughter and ribbing makes Andrea’s skin crawl. But he shoves it back, because an idea’s just blossomed in his head. A rather literal blending into the crowd. If they keep their heads down, it may just give them a clean shot deeper into this place. And a better chance at Corneo.</p><p>“Follow their lead. Grab what they are and keep your ears and eyes open for any sign of him.”</p><p>“Are you nuts?” Leslie hisses, eyes wide.</p><p>“Probably.” Andrea replies around a grin. Tugs the hat lower on his face and the jacket collar higher. Slapping on a skin, face and a stance he hasn’t taken up in years. Years and lifetimes and more. Timid and quiet. Keep your head down or lose it.</p><p>“Oi! I said move it!”</p><p>Andrea moves, trusting Leslie enough to follow his lead even as he catches the other cursing under his breath. Winding through the chaos of things scattered all about to where the bulk of Corneo’s men are hefting up crates of rough wood. The bottoms of them oddly dark and stained looking. Like some manner of liquid is leaking through. Andrea stifles a grimace as he grabs the nearest one. Hefting it up onto his shoulder for an easier carry as well as extra obscuring of his face.</p><p>He hears Leslie making a quiet grunt behind him as the other follows suit. The two of them quick to join the revolving line of Corneo’s men trailing in and out of the nearby passage. Dodging absent rough housing and keeping their eyes down until they emerge into another similar chamber to the first. This one again filled to the brim with finery and baubles. And even more of the Don’s people. Some of them carrying similar crates, other’s slowly bustling about between the odds and ends that are scattered across the room.</p><p>There’s talk too. Confidence and confusion. Worry and laughter. Whispers of the Don and his ‘genius.’</p><p>Still no sign of the man himself, but the tunnels lead even deeper. And if Andrea’d learned anything about the Don, it’s that he likes to tuck himself up in the deepest holes he can find. Ones with easy bolt holes and only one way in. And each chamber they’ve passed through has had the odd off shoot here and there.</p><p>There’s yet another room before their progress finally slows. The line bottle necked into a much smaller tunnel than the others. A heavy grate resting above it, ready to be dropped. Most of the workers are dropping their burdens into a stack near the entrance, while others shuffle it through the tunnel.</p><p>“Think those things ‘ll eat better ‘n us tonight.” Says one of the men. Sounds like he’s only half joking. “Boss spoiling ‘em or what?”</p><p><em>Is that what all this is</em>? Andrea thinks, Carefully skirting the tower of crates to hide and set down his. It seems...excessive. Extravagant. Oh he remembers what Corneo used to do to feed the monster he kept beneath the floorboards. Dropping down those who disappointed or threatened him. Those he grew tired of. Or sometimes just for the ‘thrill’ of listening to their cries.</p><p>With the sheer quantity of what’s here, it’s either a horrifyingly large beast, like the one attacking Wutai, or a great number of monsters. Andrea’s not sure what’s worse. And what if during his escape the Don unleashes them all. While terrifying, the fact there’s only one monster at present means the others have a good chance of stopping it. Able to focus time and energy. But if another shows up, or Corneo unleashes a flood of them...what then? How many casualties might be suffered because there’s simply no way that Cloud and the others could be everywhere at once.</p><p>Andrea shakes his head quickly. Shuffling back to get out of the way when one of them gripes at him to ‘Move it already!’. No use sitting here, pondering at what ifs. They need to find Corneo, and with that perhaps have a chance to put a stop to more destruction.</p><p>“You really wanna piece of whatever the fuck he sliced up outta that hell hole? No thanks.”</p><p>There’s a flash of silver from the corner of his eye as Leslie sidles up beside him. Just as tucked down into his stolen attire as Andrea is. His eyes darting. Nervousness and annoyance coming off him in gentle waves. Andrea can’t say he blames him. There might not be as many people here as in the last chamber, but those that are, are clearly some of Corneo’s strongest. Burly with glinting weapons of all types in their hands or on their belts.</p><p>They’re perhaps in over their heads, but if they can just reach—</p><p>“What’re you lot doing lollygaggin’ around?”</p><p>Andrea feels something cold as ice drop into his stomach at the sound of the voice. He and Leslie just manage to shuffle down one of the narrow ‘alleys’ between the massive vase and scattered, overloaded shelves. Doesn’t even need the glimpse of the familiar hat just around the corner.</p><p>Sam.</p><p>Dammit. <em>Dammit</em>.</p><p>Some small part of him had hoped, almost <em>against</em> hope, that the niggling feeling in his gut wasn’t right. He ought to have known better. Of the three of them, Sam had always been the most content to linger in the Don’s pocket. To shuttle lambs right into the jaws of the beast. No qualms or compunctions about what he maintained was “Always her choice.”.</p><p>They’d never been ‘friends. Never gotten on outside the broad spectrum of their work and the inevitable places it would line up.</p><p>Still, there’d been a small part of him, entertaining the idea that Sam’d gotten out of the mess as well. Set up somewhere with his birds and stopped feeding into the poison.</p><p>Should’ve known better.</p><p><em>Had</em> known better, way down deep.</p><p>“Well this complicates things.”</p><p>Leslie grunts quietly in agreement. A small scowl on his face. Barely visible beneath the low angle of his hat. “What should we do?”</p><p>A fair question. Sam will absolutely recognize them both on sight. So their makeshift costumes aren’t going to do any good here. The longer they linger, the more likely they are to be spotted. But they also can’t move, at least not quickly, without running equal risk.</p><p>Andrea bites the edge of his lips, thinking fast. They haven’t much time one way or another. He doesn’t particularly want to follow the trail of bloody crates. Though something in him whispers that may be their best guess. But the passage is too narrow and too full of people to give them room to maneuver. So...</p><p>Ah. There. The other passage that Sam appeared from. It’s not far, but it still means crossing too open space. They need some way to cause a stir. Andrea’s eyes dart around. Searching. Lands on one of the towering vases set nearby. That could work.</p><p>“Distraction. Help me.” Andrea replies, tugging Leslie along. Until they’re wedged into the rather tight space just behind the vase and the wall. “We knock it down. While they’re scattered, we head for that exit. Ready?”</p><p>Leslie drops low. Crouching to grip at the smooth bottom of the vase and straining to knock it off balance. It won’t take much if they can manage that. Andrea braces his hands and arms on the wall. A short jump to plant his feet against the vase and use himself essentially as a lever. The things <em>heavy</em>. Takes the both of them precious seconds, until the damn thing finally budges. Rolling on its rounded base as it leaves the ground, toppling forward.</p><p>“Look out!”</p><p>“The hell—!”</p><p>It causes more chaos than Andrea was expecting. The heavy porcelain careening into the nearby shelves and knocking them off balance. A messy, <em>loud</em> domino effect fills the room over shouts and rushing feet.</p><p>The two of them stick to the wall to avoid the worst of it. Hurrying along and leaping over the odd scattered trinket or heavy box that smashes to the ground ahead or alongside them. Andrea chances a brief glance into the room. Spots Sam’s familiar figure barking orders over the chaos even as he scrambles out of the way of the debris. Andrea swears their eyes lock over the chaos. Sees the way Sam’s expression twists, though it’s hard to make out over the distance.</p><p>“Ey! There! They ain’t ours, after ‘em!”</p><p>Damn. They were spotted.</p><p>No time to stop. They need to put distance between them and the grunts following. Fuck, this is going to have the whole place on their asses soon if they don’t come up with something.</p><p>The hall they dart down is sparsely lit. Just a few odd, squat lights tied to a generator Andrea can hear thrumming away somewhere nearby. But even that much light’s enough to highlight the strange ‘cages’ lining either side. Small, rough caverns cut into the walls of the passageway. Nearly all of them grated over with sturdy, if clearly quickly constructed iron bars. Odd, formless shapes crumpled and unmoving inside a few of them. Some are pried open here and there. From them, glinting eerily in the scant light, are dark trails of liquid. Looks almost too dark to be blood.</p><p>What in the <em>hell</em> has Corneo gotten his hands on?</p><p>And why does Andrea have the sickening, sickly feeling it’s all tied to Shinra?</p><p>“In here.”</p><p>Andrea’s snapped out of his dark musings by Leslie. The silverette darts into a small offshoot of a room Andrea’d missed. Too distracted by the sickly sights around them. Andrea’s quick to follow. Feels like they only <em>just</em> dodge the loud storm of shouts trailing them. Press themselves back into the deep shadows. Ducking behind bulkier shapes and both holding their breath when the door slams open. A harsh flashlight scouring through the room. But it’s clear the chaos has whomever it is on edge. Not near as thorough as they ought to be before there’s a shout of “<em>Not here</em>!” and the light and footsteps move away.</p><p>“So much for surprise.” Leslie says, quick to check his gun and snap the barrel back into place. “Are we doing this?”</p><p>No way out but through.</p><p>This is going to get messy.</p><p>“Not much of a choice, I think.” Andrea replies. Palming the knife and that at least feels a <em>touch</em> more familiar than Cloud’s sword had been. “I doubt there’s any going back the way we came. But if I know the Don there’ll be other ways out. We just need to find one.”</p><p>“You’re giving up—”</p><p>“We’re outnumbered and <em>deep</em> in their territory. They know we’re here. We’ll be<em> lucky</em> if we make it out, Leslie. And I’m sorry, but the Don’s life isn’t worth mine<em> or</em> yours.” Andrea grips Leslie’s arm, looking the young man dead in the eye. To make sure that he's paying attention. “It’d be one thing if we knew where he was, but we don’t. Retreat is our best—our<em> only—</em>option.”</p><p>Leslie goes tense beneath his touch. Andrea can see the argument in his eyes though he doesn’t say anything aloud. A deep, upset furrow to his brow. Alright. New tactic. One that actually has a chance of getting Leslie to <em>listen</em>.</p><p>“You still don’t know what happened to Merle, do you?” The ache in Leslie’s eyes before he casts them to the floor is more than an answer. Andrea squeezes the other’s arm gently. “Death’s hardly the apology I know you want to give her.”</p><p>It hurts more than a little now. How instinctive is for Leslie’s hand to twitch towards his pocket. To the little bag he carries around that pretty necklace in. But Andrea sees that stubborn resolve crack and break town. Tumbling into something similar, yet new.</p><p>“Right...” Leslie nods slowly. Takes a slow, deep breath and flits his eyes up and away from Andrea. Towards the door. “So. New exit huh?”</p><p>“Ideally. I don’t think it’d be wise to linger here much longer.”</p><p>Indeed the voices and other sounds outside are edging a bit too close for Andrea’s liking. So they peer out of the door way. Glancing both ways multiple times before slipping out from their hiding place. Only one way to go that leads away from the chamber they’d come from. So they head deeper. Sticking to the shadows as much as they can, keeping quiet. Eyes and ears pricked for any sign of a way out. Or of trouble.</p><p>Andrea can only be glad that Corneo clearly hasn’t got the numbers he had back in the market. Near impossible to escape eyes or ears that belonged to the Don. It’s more their surroundings that are going to make that hard here.</p><p>It’s not the only time they have to hide, and quickly too. Ducking into alcoves and those awful little ‘cages’. Every time just barely managing to skirt or escape notice. And every time it just sets Andrea more and more on edge. Leslie too by how pale the other looks.</p><p>After what feels like all too long, they reach a <em>fourth</em> chamber. This one’s different to the others. Smaller though that could also be the fact it’s the only one not filled to the brim with the Don’s trinkets. But what catches Andrea’s attention first are the apparent claw marks. Scored deep into the walls and the floor. Large, dark, dusty feathers scattered along the ground. A foul scent in the air. Old meat, smoke and refuse. A tang of iron, though that could’ve been from the blood stains or the large shackles lying in a heap on the ground.</p><p>This must’ve been where Corneo kept that monster of his.</p><p>Another thing that marks this chamber from the others is the shaft of moonlight spilling down from a fissure running along the ceiling. Some makeshift, broken scaffold where it looks like the grunts had tried to patch the crack. With no apparent success. It’s a tiny thing, but Andrea notes how some of the claw marks edge dangerously close to it. Trying to escape, perhaps? That’s an impulse Andrea can certainly understand. Especially under Corneo’s thumb.</p><p>“Andrea?”</p><p>The sound of his name has the dancer jerking his attention back down towards Leslie. The other’s wandered deeper into the room. Thumb jerking towards another passage leading out of the place. “Think that’s it?”</p><p>Andrea breathes a quiet sigh of relief. They’re not out of the metaphorical woods yet of course. But it’s a better start than they’ve had yet.</p><p>“I’d assume so. They had to shuttle that beast up there somehow after all.” Certainly couldn't with the clutter and comparatively small tunnels that lead them here. Andrea hurries over. “Come on. Let’s—”</p><p>As he nears the mouth of the passage Andrea hears it. Feels and sees Leslie go tense too. Voices, three of them. Coming this way. And fast. Too fast. There’s nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide. Not as three new figures melt out of the shadows. One of them with a phone to his ear, his other companions all with weapons drawn.</p><p>“—checked and I’m tellin’ you, we ain’t found—”</p><p>The goon’s eyes lock on Andrea’s. He and his two companions freezing all at once as they stare at each other through the shadows.</p><p>Shit.</p><p>“Get ‘em!”</p><p>There’s no time to think really. Old instincts kicking in and kicking in hard. Rule number one of the undercity. The only one who will look after you is <em>you</em>. Especially in games of life or death.</p><p>So the knife finds its way from his hand and into the arm of the first of his attackers as they lunge for him. Tearing through cloth, flesh and muscle in a long, scoring strike down as Andrea dodges. The man’s shout barely audible over the sound of a gun firing. Andrea ducking on instinct, only to see Leslie’s the one firing the shots.</p><p>Andrea flinches at the sound, but by the sounds of it, they just have to make it past these three and they may just have a shot at getting out.</p><p>Someone grabs the back of his jacket. Trying to haul him back and off balance. Andrea ducks down, back. Sliding his arms from the sleeves of the jacket. Catching them on his wrists and using the new leverage to haul his attacker. Making the man stumbleinstead. Uses his own momentum to spin. Sweeps his leg up to deliver a harsh blow to their back. Sends the man crashing into some of the remains of the scaffold.</p><p>Leslie’s opponent drops as well, riddled with wounds in both shoulders and one of his legs. Leslie wastes no time in closing the distance. Delivering a frankly vicious kick to the man’s head. Once, twice.</p><p>Clearly he’s got that handled, so Andrea turns his attention to the man he’d stabbed. The knife’s still embedded in his arm. Other hand fumbling for the gun at his waist. Andrea doesn’t let him reach it. Moves fast, dodging the wild swing thrown at him. Dropping and sweeping the man’s legs out from under him with a kick. The man topples and the moment he’s on the ground, Andrea’s atop him. Wrenching the knife out and jabbing the tip tight against the man’s other shoulder. A threat, but not enough to kill if push comes to shove. Which it does when the man writhes, so Andrea sinks the blade in. The thug flails, kicking, but his one arm’s been rendered useless by Andrea’s first hit. And he won’t be able to lift the other soon.</p><p>“Is that a way out?” Andrea asks, jerking his head towards the tunnel this man and his friend’s had come out of. The man snarls at him. “Answer me.”</p><p>“Fuck you—<em>agh!</em>”</p><p>“I really don’t think you ought to test me.” Andrea says evenly. Leaning even more of his weight behind the knife. “I’ve had a <em>very</em> long day, and I’m quite eager to be done with it.”</p><p>“Y-yeah. Yeah! Right out to those fucking statues.”</p><p>“And Don Corneo. Where is he?” Leslie asks, reloading his gun from where he’s standing a foot or so away.</p><p>“W-where he always is. Watchin’ the show in the pit!”</p><p>Damn. As Andrea’d thought. Deep in the heart of the caverns and back the way they came. No way they’ll reach him. Best to cut their losses and get the hell out.</p><p>“Thank you for your cooperation.” Andrea says cordially, slamming the hilt of the knife into the man’s temple. Pushes himself up and back, grimacing at the blood on him and the knife. Vile business, he always hates taking part in it.</p><p>Andrea wipes his hands on his pants, already ruined, turning to his companion. Leslie’s got a quiet scowl on.</p><p>“So, we’re really—<em>agh</em>!”</p><p>Leslie’s shout’s almost lost beneath the sound of the bullet being fired. Tearing through the younger man’s side in a spray of blood.</p><p>“Leslie!”</p><p>Dammit. <em>Dammit</em> the bastard in the scaffolding wasn’t down. Not entirely. An ugly sneer curling over blood painted teeth. Shaking hand holding the smoking gun. A wash of anger and fearful adrenaline fuels Andrea’s next motion. Crossing the space between him and the grunt. A solid, swift kick to the splintering pole makes the platform above finally give, toppling down and burying the man in debris.</p><p>Andrea’s already moving. Darting to Leslie’s side. Leslie looks paler than normal. Nearly grey in the moonlight. Hissing through his teeth. Bloodied hands clutching his side. But he’s breathing. Still alive. Andrea reaches, gently prying Leslie’s hands from over the wound.</p><p>“I’m sorry, hold still. Hold still, let me see.”</p><p>Shit. <em>Shit</em>. Even in the relative dark, Andrea can see the wound’s deep. Deep and ugly. Leslie’s losing far too much blood. Worst still Andrea just knows soon the rest of Corneo’s hounds are going to be on top of them any moment. That fight too noisy, not to mention the fact the one of them’d been communicating with someone else through the phone.</p><p>Moving quick as he can, Andrea grabs the jacket he’d abandoned during the fight. Wads it up and presses it to Leslie’s side. Winces at the young man’s shout and mutters another quick apology.</p><p>“We need to move and I need you to stay <em>awake.</em> And keep up that pressure. Come now, we’re nearly there. Up.”</p><p>With difficulty they manage to get Leslie mostly to his feet. The silverette leaning heavily into Andrea’s side as the two of them stumble towards the tunnel. Following the gentle, but steady incline upwards. The path winding like the one that’d led them down here in the first place. Somewhere up ahead there’s a glimmer of what looks to be light. Not artificial, but something softer.</p><p>They make it a few feet before Leslie’s knees give. Andrea catches him, easing the other down as carefully as he can. Pressed back into a shallow curve in the rock. A poor hiding place, but better here than the middle of the path.</p><p>“You should get out of here.” Leslie mumbles, words worryingly slurred.</p><p>“Not happening I’m afraid.” Andrea replies, and means it twofold. He can’t just abandon the other. He won’t. But both of them staying here just increases the chances they’ll be found. Caught between a rather literal rock and a sorry end indeed. He’s certain he heard something echoing after them not a moment ago.</p><p>Of the two of them, he stands by far the best chance backtracking. Either outwitting the pursuit or finding some other route. If he can get their attention and get them away from here, Leslie might stand a chance. He’d surely manage it if he weren’t actively bleeding out.</p><p>“—<em>down here! I’m sure of it</em>.”</p><p>Time’s up.</p><p>Andrea gets to his feet, quickly hurrying away from where Leslie’s slumped. A sickly guilt crawling hot through his gut as he moves. Leaving the other there, alone and wounded. But Andrea doesn’t have the time or resources to tend to it—</p><p>Wait.</p><p>Maybe he does.</p><p>The healing materia’s still in his pocket. Between one breath and the next Andrea’s got it in his hand. Reaches for that odd sensation in him Cloud only just taught him how to find. Holds it and the feeling tight and hurtles it outwards into the air in a glimmering burst of white-green light. Doesn’t even have time to see if it makes it to Leslie. Just hopes it doesn’t lead others to him.</p><p>Too conspicuous of course. The sounds of his pursuer's growing louder, faster. <em>Closer</em>.</p><p>Freedom’s all too tempting, a few feet or so to his west. Leading up and up to that glimmer of clear light.</p><p>Andrea turns away from it and heads back down into the shadows.</p><p>Doesn’t get far, his ‘luck’ tab thoroughly overtaxed tonight. Feels like he should see it coming, but he doesn’t. Not until he hears a sound, strange and soft. The next moment his feet are being yanked from under him. He tumbles with a shout, trying to catch himself but the angle’s wrong. Lands too heavily on his right hand and <em>feels</em> the bone shift.</p><p>He barely has time to shout. Kicking and trying to free himself from the rope caught around his foot. Fumbles for the knife only to have it kicked viciously out of his grip. His non-broken hand crushed mercilessly into the ground. The pain’s enough to stun him. Long enough he winds up flipped. Hands caught in a cruelly tight grip at the mid of his back. A heavy weight settling against him. Keeping him pinned.</p><p>“You know, I almost thought you were smart enough to stay out of it, Andrea.” Sam’s low drawl pricks at something quietly furious in Andrea. Dammit. Goddammit so much for hoping.</p><p>“And I might’ve known you were still in his pocket.”</p><p>“There’s worse places to be.” Sam replies. “I told you it was a fool’s idea. Shoulda just stayed in yer lane and thing’s ‘ve turned out.”</p><p>“Oh clearly. Look at you. Thriving down here in the filth.” Andrea replies with cool venom. “Do you even own your birds anymore, or is it just the name you’ve kept?”</p><p>Sam <em>snarls</em>. The next moment Andrea’s ears are ringing. Pain sparking white across his vision as his head’s slammed into the ground. Again. Blood trickling down the side of his face. Hot and wet, wheezes against the dry ground as Sam’s weight crushes down into his spine even harder.</p><p>“You shut the hell up about shit you got no idea about.” Andrea’s clearly struck a raw nerve. He’d feel sorry about it if it wasn’t a pit of Sam’s own making. One he’s apparently still digging. “Oi. Move it!”</p><p>Head still spinning from the blow, the next moments are a blur of motion and harsh hands. Rough voices as he’s jerked upwards. Arms yanked higher behind him. A sharp harsh angle as they’re lashed together. A shout from his lips as the pain flares up his spine, cut off as one of them jams a thick, heavy cloth between his lips. Ties it around his head. What little light’s in the hall lost when another’s pulled over his eyes. Not even given a moment to breathe before he’s being hauled to his feet. Cords cutting into his skin how tightly they’re wrapped. Makes his one wrist—possibly broken—pulse like an open wound.</p><p>An old quiet fear crawls like ice into Andrea’s lungs. Grits his teeth against the filthy cloth and has a momentary gratefulness he can’t taste or smell any of the Don’s <em>usual</em> tricks to get people to...</p><p>Comply.</p><p>It doesn’t last long. Not when he can’t seem to catch his breath. Not with the way his vision’s nothing but darkness. An empty, endless void because he can’t fucking see—</p><p>Shit. Shit, shit, <em>shit</em>. <em>Don’t you dare panic.</em> Andrea orders himself silently. Foolish, because he knows the Don’s already aware of this particular weakness. Knows that Andrea being rendered sightless, voiceless, is a primal fear Andrea’s no idea how to shake.</p><p>It’s not the first time Corneo’s exploited it.</p><p>He’s being pawed at and he barely has enough sense in him at the moment to register that he loses both his phone and the materia. Some snide comment here or there about it. Then a broad hand lands on his shoulder. A low voice, barely a whisper too close to his ear.</p><p>“I’ll keep the kid outta it. Much as I can anyway.”</p><p>Sam doesn’t even smell like his birds anymore. It’s a ridiculous thing for him to notice. But he does and if it weren’t for the cold rush of fear clawing too quick up into his throat, he might have felt a shred of pity for what the other man’s apparently lost.</p><p>The next moment Andrea’s heaved unsteadily to his feet. Hauled away in some direction, the world still dizzy and disorienting. The damn panic welling in his chest not helping. Making his breath come too quick. The world hyper focused yet hazy. He struggles, but it’s to little avail. More often than not just sends him careening into an unseen fist, knee or wall.</p><p>Wherever they drag him too, knocking him to his knees, it’s more open than the tunnels. Sounds swallowed and echoing in a vacuous space. Colder for it too, the faint crackle of flames reaching his ears. As well as other, more hair raising noises. Snarls and gnashing teeth. Monsters. Close, but muffled. Still sends an animal thrill of fear crawling icy up his spine. Sharp as claws and mixing like poison with the panic already there.</p><p>“Well, well, well. Look who’s come crawling on his knees back to me.”</p><p>The piercing lights all around are near blinding when the blindfold is jerked roughly off of Andrea’s face. Stabs at him in a way different to the various cuts, bruises and other aches littering his skin. But it’s all inconsequential in the face of what greets him looking up. Up and up the high walls. Up to the decorative balcony overhead where the Don sits. Sneering and hateful. Wreathed half in shadows.</p><p>“Awww, what’s the matter <em>Andi</em>?” Andrea only barely holds back a grimace. Hates it when this bastard uses his nickname. “You look scared. Finally realize how deep of a shit pile you’re in?”</p><p>There’s a creak. The Don edging a little further towards the edge of the balcony he’s in. Hard to see, what with the decorative wood fence at the edge, but Andrea could swear the man’s in a wheelchair. Reminded again of the apparent fall he took. But the chair could just be another ruse. A way to lull his enemies into a false sense of security. He certainly wouldn’t put it past the rat to put on such a show.</p><p>At least his head’s clearing a little. The pain and panic dying down now he at least has his sight back. Drops it from the Don and glances around where he’d been dragged to. Some manner of pit, eerily similar to the Colosseum. Smaller perhaps, but Andrea can see the old blood stains here and there. Marking the walls and dusty ground. Also notices the twin doors angling off the east and west sides of the pit. Those are where the sound’s coming from then. Corneo’s clearly retained his old habit of keeping ‘pets’.</p><p>“Good work boys. Now fuck off till I need you.” Corneo says, blase and far too pleased as he waves a meaty hand at them. “Oh and Sam? Give him his mouth back. I wanna hear the screams.”</p><p>Sam grunts. Roughly undoes the makeshift gag. Andrea spitting at the floor and working his jaw as soon as he’s free. Glances back to watch the small mob shuffle off through another smaller door. Might even be a spark of something like wry pity in Sam’s face before he follows them. The sound of a heavy lock thudding into place. Leaving him and the Don alone.</p><p>Fuck.</p><p>“Aww...poor little Andi. Useless being ‘queen’ ain’t it? Without all your pretty, stupid pawns to throw around the board.” Corneo taps his cheek thoughtfully. Shrugs. “Guess some things <em>are </em>a little different though. Like the company you’re keeping, eh? Gotta say, I wasn’t expecting you to still have that one on a leash.”</p><p>The screens around the arena light up. A sudden, harsh cast of static and electric light that has Andrea blinking hard against the dark spots swarming in front of his eyes. There isn’t any sound to it, save the dull hum of static. But the images that crop up are enough to have Andrea pausing in his efforts. Breath catching in his chest as he stares up at the nearest screen.</p><p>Whatever it is Corneo’s using—hidden cameras and drones it seems—he’s got eyes on near every part of the city. Clearly took a page out of Shinra’s book on that end. It makes Andrea feel faintly ill. To know they’d been watched all day. Like bugs beneath a magnifying glass.</p><p>Right now Corneo’s got a bird’s eye on Cloud and the others. Embroiled in battle. The screen to Andrea’s right focused vaguely on Cid and Yuffie. Flitting through the streets and across the roofs of Wutai. Chasing down creatures of all shapes and sizes, most of them monsters Andrea’s never seen before. Keeping them away from the civilians. They’re not alone either, other fighters from Wutai joining in the fray.</p><p>Heart picking up, Andrea can’t help the way his gaze tracks. Flitting across the other screens until he finally finds Cloud. Distant and hard to make out, but Andrea doesn’t think he could mistake Cloud ever, even amid the chaos.</p><p>He and Vincent are <em>still</em> dealing with the largest creature. And the flames have finally reached Wutai. One building has clearly already been consumed and two others ignited. Vincent’s keeping the Thing’s attention while Cloud backs off. Leaping up towards the roof of the nearest building not yet aflame. Lands and there’s not a breath before he’s blasting it with yet another lightning bolt.</p><p>“Not a bad show, huh? Seen better sure, but you can’t beat the view.”</p><p>“Why? Why do all this?”</p><p>“Because I’m curious.” Corneo replies, fixated on the nearest screen. Wine stained teeth glinting in the bright electric lights. “I wanna see first hand what I’d be paying for.”</p><p>Andrea has no idea what he means by that, but it sets <em>everything</em> inside him on edge. Quivering beneath a rush of anxious anger. Can’t help the way his eyes dart to the screen as the view shifts. The drone -it has to be one, given it’s mobility- swoops through the smokey air. Circling closer to where Cloud is.</p><p>The first thing Andrea notices, through the smoke haze and flickering shadows, are Cloud’s eyes. Flickering and so damn bright they look far more acid green than his usual mix. He and his weapon both are crackling with energy. Electric and sharp.</p><p>“Never seen it, have you?” There’s a low creak over the static. Corneo wheeling himself closer to the edge. Towards the screen to his right. “Never seen what they’re<em> really </em>capable of.”</p><p>Andrea doesn’t much care about any of the nonsense Corneo’s going on about. Can’t seem to tear his eyes away from Cloud on the screen. Hard to see perhaps, through the smoke, but it’s clear Cloud’s been fighting and fighting <em>hard</em>. His lean shoulders rising and falling a touch too hard. Ash and soot marking him here and there. His usually vibrant hair, dulled.</p><p>He is all at once captivating and terrifying, near silhouetted by the flames. All save the glint off his sword and the glow of his eyes.</p><p>Something catches Cloud’s attention. Draws his sharp gaze down. The camera doesn’t follow, so Andrea has no idea what it is until Cloud leaps. Then the camera struggles to keep up, to get a clear view. The building starts to crumble. Odd still to watch the destruction in silence as it topples forward. Down and down towards the flash of gold—Cloud—on the streets below. But it’s not just him. There’s something—someone?— cowering on the ground just behind him.</p><p>Cloud’s blade ignites with even more energy. Burning blueish-purple as he winds up a great overhead slash. The blast launches out, racing along the ground until it collides with the building and damn near splits it in half. It explodes outwards, debris raining down onto the street.</p><p>The blond doesn’t seem to care much for the destruction. Turning in one fluid movement to grab hold of whomever it is behind him. Gripping their arm and hauling them upwards. Pushing them away from him and the flames the moment they’re on their feet.</p><p>Corneo scoffs, the sound disgusted.</p><p>“Your stupid kitten’s soft compared to the others. Nothin’ at all like that first wave. Heard rumours about ‘em for weeks. Course <em>I</em> knew where things were headed. Soon as I saw the fresh batch just rolled out from Shinra R&amp;D.”</p><p>Even as he says it, Corneo’s grinning. A glint of sweat at his temple. Something faintly manic in his eyes.</p><p>“Headed to Midgar first chance I got. I knew Shinra and their damn SOLDIERs meant the end. Everybody else was too stubborn to see it. Fucking idiots. Like loyalty and honor’s gonna do you a lick of good in this world. Against those monsters Shinra crammed into human skin.”</p><p>The words and that fact that they’re aimed at Cloud—indirectly or not—make Andrea bristle.</p><p>How is that what anyone sees? How does anyone look at Cloud Strife and see some monster...? When that too soft heart is so open and on display, even in the face of horrors most people can’t begin to fathom. Andrea doesn’t understand it. Never will.</p><p>“—expensive little fuckers. Oh sure, we’ll have to replace them every few years, but details, details.”</p><p>The words are strange enough to catch Andrea’s attention. Sinking in like a hook to drag his eyes and voice up. Glaring towards where Corneo’s seated.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Aww...didn’t you know?” The delight in Corneo’s expression is repulsive. A bright, almost manic energy as his mouth splits on a grin. “They break. Like little clockwork toys. All that strength gobbles them up from the inside and then—” Corneo snaps his fingers together, the sound bright and too loud in the stillness, “—poof. No more pretty little kitten.”</p><p>Lies.</p><p>It’s Andrea’s immediate, instinctive gut reaction. Like his mind slamming the doors shut tight, trying to protect him from the awful words. It doesn’t work. They leak through the cracks and crevasses. A tidal flood of horror that rushes in to drown him. Screaming soundless in his mind.</p><p>No. No, no. Corneo’s lying. He must be.</p><p>Cloud—</p><p>He’s not—</p><p>Can’t be—</p><p><em>Stop it.</em> Andrea shouts back. <em>Stop it, you know better Andi</em>. <em>Don’t believe him. Don’t trust him</em>.</p><p>Andrea grits his teeth, renewing his efforts to get himself loose. The pain puts a stop to the whirling in his head. Enough he can breathe again. Forces himself to again and again as Corneo continues.</p><p>“Such a loyal little bitch, isn’t he? Following you all the way out here.” Corneo’s watching the screens again. Not that there’s much to see now. All static and smoke haze. Cloud’s moved somewhere else, probably right back into the fray. “Rhodea had them too. Loyal little puppets who’d throw themselves at me, over and over again. Pathetic. Stupid whore should’ve kept her legs open and her mouth to <em>good</em> use. Don’t you think? Guess I shoulda figured you were the same when you took up her role.”</p><p>Andrea’s always wondered why people believe that’s such an insult. As though he isn’t perfectly aware of what his mother’s occupation had been. What he’d inherited. Perhaps it is, in that they boil down every extraordinary aspect of her down to just that. Ignoring her wisdom. Grace. Talent. Her heart. But he’s not out to deny her work as a part of herself. The fact that she’d thrived down there, much like he had- if in different ways.</p><p>“What can I say? I am my mother’s son, after all.” Andrea replies coolly. Something of a smirk flickering to fleeting life on his face. “In more ways than one.”</p><p>“Oh really? Well then, what’d you think? Think you fucked him good enough he’ll slog all the way here. Just for you?”</p><p>“He won’t.” Andrea says, and his voice sounds faintly hollow to his own ears. The truth suddenly stabbing at his lungs too sharp to catch a proper breath. The trickle of his own blood down his hands a distant, hazy thing.</p><p>Cloud won’t come for him. Not out of a lack of care. Or whatever strange sense of duty Cloud bears towards Andrea and this whole damn mess. But because Andrea’s played the fool once more. Charged headfirst into this without a plan. Without due caution. Walked right into the rat’s trap all over again.</p><p>Cloud won’t come because he believes Andrea ‘safe’. Tucked away in some safe little shop, out of danger. Where Cloud had told him to be. Expected him to listen. Because Cloud hasn’t the first <em>clue</em> where he is. Little more than Andrea does at this point. After the labyrinth tunnels and head trauma.</p><p>Andrea’s done this to himself. Looked at the trap laid at his feet and stepped right into it. Bold and brash. Stupid in a way he’d thought he’d finally, <em>finally</em> moved beyond. No one to blame, but himself.</p><p>Corneo’s laugh’s an ugly thing. Grating. Rakes along Andrea’s skin like a clammy, unwanted touch. Drips down into his ears like poison. Deeper and deeper as the man keeps talking.</p><p>“Should have figured. You’re losing your touch. Not that it was ever as good as that petty whore’s of course. Too bad for you.” Corneo says, always with that twist of sickening delight underscoring his voice. Always knows he’s got the upper hand in any situation. “I’ve gotta say, I’m disappointed. Figured once you knew what got that stupid bitch killed you'd have learned your lesson.”</p><p>Andrea’s had his suspicions of course. That the Don would never be so ‘careless’ with that kind of information. To leave it just lying around. So easily found by the one person who’d care about it. Of course it was just more leverage. A scare tactic. Can’t say it didn’t work, on some level. But once the horror and revulsion died down, Andrea’d just added it to the pyre. To burn eternal like his hatred for the man—the true <em>monster—</em>sneering down at him.</p><p>“But here we are again, huh Andrea? All cuz of this.” Andrea doesn’t need to see it, to know exactly what Corneo’s pulled from his gaudy red jacket. Twiddling the small drive between his meaty fingers.“You know, I mighta considered giving it back to you if you’d behaved.”</p><p>Lies. All of it. Corneo’s never one to give up leverage of any kind. Andrea’s not the young, naive idiot he once was. He’s not going to fall for it ever again. Desperate as they all were underground to find some glimmer of something to cling to.</p><p>“I’m not the one who broke the agreement if you recall.”</p><p>“The hell you weren’t.” There’s a flicker of genuine anger in Corneo’s voice. Rage in his eyes. “Gift wrapping up that pretty, stupid little kitten. Droppin’ him on my doorstep with<em> your</em> signature?Ballsy, even for you.”</p><p>“Only because you tried to sell what was mine.”</p><p>It fills Andrea with a cold kind of fury. Somehow even more sharp edged than that moment, years ago, when he learned of Corneo’s attempted back hand dealings. Trying to sell everything, every scrap of Andrea’s life and livelihood to that miserable piece of shit Palmer and his ‘friends’ up in Shinra tower. Corneo’d crossed the line first. Andrea’d given him everything, <em>everything</em>, but on a time limit. Ten foul years of his life before it was all supposed to be back in his hands. Because he did for the Don what no one else had ever done, could ever do. Gotten and <em>kept</em> that link with Shinra. With the beating, poisonous heart of their city.</p><p>Corneo <em>owed</em> him so much more than Andrea was going to take.</p><p>“It’s all just business Andi. You really gonna get a stick up your ass about it?”</p><p>“Clearly.” Andrea says. Carefully easing himself back. Putting careful distance between him and the rat. Inching so he at least has the wall solid at his back. Not that it’ll do him much of any good once Corneo releases his hounds. Admits he’s hoping the placebo effect is going to give him enough of a clear head to figure out how to get his hands loose, too. Might be easier said than done. He can tell from the blood slicking them the cords are tight. Not even breaking his pinkies is going to help here. Morbid though the thought is, there’s a chance the blood will help slip him loose. He just needs Corneo distracted and talking. Enough he doesn’t notice.</p><p>Lucky for him, Corneo’s <em>always</em> been chatty. Lounging in his seat, sipping at some rich wine or other.</p><p>“You do realize what the kitten <em>is</em>, don’t you? I know you’re not the brightest bulb in the box, but you’ve always liked your gossip, no?”</p><p>“Why the interest in him, anyway. He’s hardly your type.”</p><p>Corneo sneers. His eyes glinting, edging on mad in his oddly gaunt face. “You sure about that...?”</p><p>The implication there makes Andrea want to wretch. A cold rush of nausea. Nails biting into his palms to keep his expression even. Another trickle of blood. The cords dig deeper into his skin as he jerks. Reactionary, and the pain’s enough of a reminder to be careful.</p><p>“Kitten’s the last of Shinra’s precious pets after all. Of course that’s a rather..<em>recent</em> development.”</p><p>The implication in Corneo’s voice, the glint in his beady eyes, chills Andrea. Mind quietly racing behind the expression he fights to keep placid.</p><p>...Has that been a part of Cloud’s ‘jobs’ for Shinra...? Tracking down and finding whatever remains of SOLDIER? If so, why? Why would Shinra seek to destroy the veritable weapons they’d created? It doesn’t make sense—</p><p>Corneo offers him something of an answer. Never quiet for long when he can gloat. Lording his cleverness over all at his feet.</p><p>“Word is, they’re planning on rebuilding anyway. To make everything new and shiny. And they’re going to need a—” Corneo snaps his fingers, gaudy rings glinting in the torchlight. “A financier to do it.”</p><p>It almost makes Andrea smirk. Of course this pitiful rat’s been looking for the ‘easy’ way. Too much of a coward to strike out. Try and build something on his own. Still. That glint in Corneo’s eyes, when he’d spoken of Cloud in particular unsettles Andrea. Fights to keep his voice even.</p><p>“What do you get out of it?”</p><p>“I want the recipe.” Corneo says with a dismissive wave of his hand. Like it should be obvious. The glint in his eyes borders on deranged. “Can’t you see it? The great Corneo Empire protected by a few dozen obedient little lap dogs.”</p><p>It’s an admittedly rather horrifying image. But it’s barely enough of one to entertain. From what Andrea understands of Shinra, even it’s remnants, there’s no way they’d spill those sorts of secrets. No way they’d turn over one of their greatest creations.</p><p>Even as he thinks it Andrea feels ill.</p><p>“It’s why you’ve got the kitten, isn’t it? Besides as something to fuck I mean.”</p><p>Andrea blinks and has to fight to keep the repulsed surprise from his face. A shiver to his hands that he clenches them tight to stop.</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Oh that rather changes the game then, doesn’t it? Corneo’s informants have led him to believe Andrea’s using Cloud as protection. As some sort of shield. Easy to see how they’ve drawn that conclusion. But honestly baffling too, how they’d missed the rest of it.</p><p>Andrea could play along. Play the game Corneo’s setting the pieces on the board for. It’d be safer, easier. But the very idea of calling Cloud such vile things makes him feel sick.</p><p>“Hope you got your money’s worth by now. ‘Course,'' Corneo's beady eyes narrow. Head tilted and considering. Mouth a foul, crooked grin. “What <em>is</em> the going rate for getting a SOLDIER to suck your cock, anyway?”</p><p>Andrea’s not going to play that game.</p><p>“You honestly think Shinra has access to that information these days?”</p><p>Of course the rat bastard isn’t done talking. He never is. Not when he can have the last word. The last laugh.</p><p>“Sure they do. Quite a lively specimen at that.” Corneo’s eyes flicker back over to the screen. A hunger there that is both so alike and so<em> different</em> from his usual that it makes Andrea nearly shiver in revulsion.“They’re going to pull him apart. See what that Hojo creep did to make ‘em <em>tick—</em>”</p><p>A new mix of horror and anger floods through Andrea in that moment.</p><p>No.</p><p>No, that can’t be.</p><p>Cloud wouldn’t have gotten involved if that was the case. He wouldn’t put himself at risk if he knew. If what Corneo was saying was true.</p><p>He wouldn’t—</p><p><em>I’m doing it for me</em>.</p><p>Those had been Cloud’s words. And with how much Andrea’d seen them cost the blond to say, Andrea can’t bring himself to believe it was a lie. Cloud wouldn’t lie about that. He wouldn’t. Not with how much else he’d given up. Passed over into Andrea’s hands. Knowledge and secrets and truths. No. No Cloud wasn’t lying.</p><p>But if. If <em>any</em> of the rest of it’s true. If there’s some...some <em>defect </em>in the SOLDIER program. Then doesn’t that give a reason to damn near everything? The holes in Cloud’s memories. The way his mind wanders away without him. The lack of appetite, trouble sleeping, the slow emaciation.</p><p>Cloud said he was after answers, hadn’t he? And whatever the answers were, they were important enough for Cloud to push himself to the point of breaking over and over. What on Gaia herself could be so damn important to him. What could be worth risking his life? Over and over? With what feels like no end in sight?</p><p>Again the void in his knowledge about Cloud tears open. About who he is, where he’s come from before he’d stepped into the ring and onto Andrea’s stage and through his door. All of it rushes around him in a screaming haze of static.</p><p>“Woulda been nice to see it up close again. Fucker killed <em>two</em> of my pets after all. Be fun making him watch you get torn up by the rest—huh?”</p><p>Corneo’s attention gets snagged by something on the monitors. Turning away from Andrea entirely. Andrea can’t help but follow his lead. Peering up across the screens. Takes a moment, a few glances back and forth. But Andrea realizes he can’t spot Cloud on any of the monitors. Doesn’t seem like Corneo’s noticed though. Too busy gawking at the magic Andrea notices building up around Yuffie.</p><p>“The hell’s that little bitch doing...?”</p><p>It’s not until he spots the glint of red in her hands that it clicks for Andrea. Cloud’s words rushing forward from the back of his mind. The brief, impromptu lesson on materia and their types.</p><p>Yuffie’s tapping into a summoning materia.</p><p>The effect of it seems both similar, and yet different to the brief attempt he’d seen from Tifa back at the ranch. That same whirling energy building and building feet in the air above Yuffie’s head. Growing in size and brightness. It’s not frost blossoming along the ground this time, but <em>water</em>. Bubbling up from the various canals crisscrossing through the town. Hovering like jewels in the air itself.</p><p>A creature erupts from the energy. Blossoming out of the ground like a terrifying, serpentine vine of blue-grey scales and wings—or perhaps fins. It <em>towers</em> over the surrounding buildings, shrieking at the sky and the flames. Water bubbling through the air and coalescing around it the way it had Yuffie.</p><p>Andrea understands, quietly, perhaps a touch hysterically, exactly what Cloud’d meant by ‘entities’. Andrea would put every last gil he has on that being the dread—and revered—Leviathan.</p><p>Call them for a purpose, Cloud’d said. Have a reason to tap into such terrifying force. And it’s clear that Leviathan understands it’s—<em>her</em>, wasn’t that what Cloud’d said?—reason for being called. It doesn’t even seem <em>real</em> as the serpent climbs into the air. Wriggling and writhing in elegant curves as it dances through the air. Water raining down from all around it, rising from the earth itself. All of it pouring down onto the raging flames below as Leviathan makes for the beast that started all this.</p><p>It’s over near as soon as it starts. Leviathan locks eyes on the severely weakened creature. Reeling back and Andrea can only imagine the sound that erupts from it. It’s whole form quaking. Fins wavering through the air, like the invisible winds Andrea’s noted around Vincent. A light builds in the summon monster’s sharp maw. Building and building until it’s set loose. A deadly stream of what Andrea assumes is some mix of magic and water. Condensed down to rival even the sharpest blade. More laser than anything as it pierces straight through the monstrosities head.</p><p>The thing’s already fading, massive wisps of Lifestream dragging the tattered corpse to pieces and off back into the eternal flow of the Planet herself.</p><p>Evidently, the sea creature isn’t done with her tasks either. Leviathan sinks down into the earth itself once more. Magic pulling the planet apart like water for the beast to emerge from. Curling down into itself as it’s eyes and body begin to glow with eerie power. Building and building. The water in the air and throughout the town quivering in answer.</p><p>The sudden, static and the bright, wavering greyscale of a lost feed floods the area. All the screens dying at once beneath a silent roar and a deluge of water.</p><p>“Seems like our time’s up.” Corneo’s voice almost startles Andrea. Forgot where he was beneath the sheer spectacle of the battle. He jerks his attention from the screen and back up to Corneo. “What a pity that this is your final curtain call. You could’ve been something Andrea. Coulda kept your little slice of the pie. But no.” Anger,<em> real</em> anger, on the Don’s face has always plucked at something in Andrea. A genuine, quiet fear bubbling in him.“No, you had to get <em>smart</em> with me.”</p><p>The creak of Corneo’s wheel chair’s loud. Ominous in a way. As is that still manic energy on his face when he plucks up what must be his phone.</p><p>“Any last words, Andi?”</p><p>“None I wish to waste on a miserable piece of shit like you.”</p><p>“Hmm. Not what’d I’ve gone with. Guess your screams’ll have to do.” Corneo makes a damn show out of pressing whatever it is on his phone’s screen. Slow. Purposeful. Not bothering to look at Andrea as he fusses with it. “I’m gonna <em>enjoy</em> this. You’ve been a damn thorn in my side for way too long.”</p><p>Andrea tenses, eyes darting to the nearest gated passage. Still hasn’t managed to free his hands, though he feels he’s close to. Not that it’ll do him much good. But it’s better than just lying down and waiting for a horrifying death, surely. Grits his teeth as he struggles. Doesn’t care if Corneo notices now.</p><p>...But.</p><p>But nothing...happens. The gates remained shut and...odd. Why can’t he hear the monsters now?</p><p>“Eh? What's going on.” Corneo grumbles. Jabs another button, his speaker loud enough Andrea can hear a dial tone. Only for a moment before the man’s shouting down the line. “Oi! Where the hell are my beasties!?”</p><p>The only answer Corneo gets is a crackle of static. Loud even about the monitors buzzing away. The Don scowls furiously. Starts jabbing at the screen of his phone once again.</p><p>“Useless. All of ‘em. Oughta have fed them to Pyro.” Whatever he’d been doing, Corneo apparently gets it to work. Snarling through the speaker. “I said get in here and finish the job!”</p><p>“Happily.”</p><p>Andrea’s gaze snaps up less than a second before Corneo’s scream rends the air. Staring in fascination as the Don comes crashing through the railing and down into the pit. A vibrant spray of blood soaking into the ground as the man flails. Shouting and clutching at the bloody stump that was once an arm.</p><p>There’s a rustle of black, a flash of silver and gold and the next moment Cloud’s landing beside the pathetically writhing, shrieking Don. Andrea’s heart both stops and picks up all between one breath and the next.</p><p>The torchlight glints off of Cloud’s blade. Off the dark blood dripping ominously from the tip of it. Splashing near soundless against the dry earth. The brief glimpse of Cloud’s face sends a thrill of <em>something</em> through Andrea. It isn’t fear. Not quite. But there <em>is</em> something unnerving about the absolute chill in Cloud’s too vibrant eyes. Full of silent, lurking fury as he watches Corneo struggle. Wriggling like a dying worm. Legs bent at odd angles and unmoving despite the man’s thrashing.</p><p>Oh. Andrea blinks. Realizing the truth. So the mechanism wasn’t a ruse. Corneo’s genuinely paralyzed. Must’ve happened from the fall Cloud’d said he took.</p><p>“Shut up.” Cloud cuts into Corneo’s howling and pleas for help with a tongue that’s sharper even than his blade. “Nobody’s coming.”</p><p>Corneo stares at him. Eyes huge and round. Sweat beading all along his face.</p><p>“T-the hell you mean <em>nobody—</em>”</p><p>“What do you think.”</p><p>If it weren’t for his shock still, Andrea might’ve sneered. Wasn’t that exactly what Corneo wanted? That strength? Yet there he sits. Pathetic and afraid of it. Trembling as he claws at the bloodstained grounding. Trying to drag himself back and away from Cloud’s looming form. Andrea still can’t believe he’s here.</p><p>“Cloud...” Andrea manages. Voice an edge too rough. “H-how—”</p><p>“Sorry it took so long.”</p><p>Not Cloud’s voice that answers him. But Leslie’s. Andrea’s heart leaps for a new reason. Managing to jerk his attention away as a shadow falls over him. Looks up to find Leslie there. Pale, yes, but better than he’d been sprawled on the ground bleeding out. The young man crouches. A flash of steel and a painful, grating saw that bites briefly into his hands before the cords finally snap.</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p>“Better by the minute.” Andrea replies, wincing a little as he rolls his shoulders and brings his hands around. Eyes the damage to his wrists and the fresh blood oozing from the places the cords had ripped into his skin. Not as bad as he’d thought. Though the one’s certainly starting to swell. With a sigh, Andrea glances back at Leslie. “I’m glad you’re alright.”</p><p>“Thanks to you.” Leslie replies, and it’s almost a question. Holds out an orb of green materia Andrea takes. Feels that same strange whisper of <em>knowledge</em> in his head that this is the very same one Cloud gave him. That he’s tapped into less than a handful of times now. And yet it feels...familiar. Even more so than the last time it’d been passed into his hands.</p><p>“Thank you.” Andrea says, something of a smile tugging at his lips. Slowly, carefully pushing back up. Still aching something fierce from the fight and the time spent bound. Leslie catches his elbow. Steadies him until Andrea finally has his feet under him. No longer trembling like a damn kitten. His eyes cast over to Leslie then down to the jagged tear in his shirt.</p><p>The wound’s not entirely healed. Not the way Cloud’s hand had been. Still a slightly angry, pinkish line marking Leslie’s side. But Andrea recalls what Cloud said. About distance and potency. About proficiency. But even if it wasn't<em> perfect</em>, somehow Andrea’d mustered up enough to keep Leslie from bleeding out on the ground. Long enough for him to move, to get help.In that way, the simple materia in his hand feels like something of a talisman. A lucky charm, perhaps.</p><p>Of course the moment’s shattered viciously when Andrea realizes Corneo’s still blathering.</p><p>“Listen, I-I’ll pay you. Three-no, <em>five</em> times whatever he is!” Corneo’s once cocky, self assured grin’s a skewed, too sharp thing. Wild. Desperate in a way Andrea’s not sure he’s ever seen the man. A part of him wishes he could take more delight in it. But as it stands, it’s just pathetic. “You’d be set for life. You and those brats—”</p><p>Cloud still isn’t moving. Standing silent sentinel tucked just between the apparent non-threat of Corneo and Andrea. It’s. Strange. Because Andrea can tell Cloud wants to. Wants to finish the job and stop the incessant screeching. The wagging tongue that’s simultaneously begging and threatening everything Cloud holds dear. Each damning word proof Corneo’s had them all <em>watched</em>.</p><p>But Cloud’s not moving. Just. Waiting. Watching. <em>Why</em>—</p><p><em>Because you told him to</em>.<em> Because he asked and you said ‘no’. Said you needed the rat to talk—</em></p><p>Oh...god. Oh god that’s. That’s almost too much. The apparent truth striking some cord within Andrea that has no name. That's too raw and too real for him to take alongside everything else in this moment. A tremor to his hands as he carefully pockets the materia again. Takes a stiff, painful step, then another towards Cloud. Till he’s close enough to rest a hand against Cloud’s arm. The briefest dart of quietly furious, mako burning eyes towards him. Andrea somehow doesn’t flinch beneath the heat of that gaze. Much as he’s certain a part of that anger’s directed at him for his recklessness.</p><p>“Cloud—”</p><p>His near whisper of the other’s name’s lost all too quickly behind Corneo’s half mad attempts at bargaining.</p><p>“You can’t kill me! I’m your boss’s best shot at rebuilding—”</p><p>“Good reason to put you in the ground.” Cloud finally speaks, voice full of quiet, searing fire. “Shinra can <em>rot</em>.”</p><p>Corneo’s face is white, but Andrea’s not sure if it’s pain, fear or <em>rage</em>. Gets his answer quick enough when Corneo snarls. Remaining hand jerking towards his belt.</p><p>“Bastard—!”</p><p>There’s a glint of silver, a rustle. A flicker of black at the corner of Andrea’s eye and a half shout in the air.</p><p>He doesn’t even realize what he’s done until he hears the clack of metal—Corneo’s gun—hitting the ground and a dull pain radiates up his arm. Suddenly crouched over the Don. Blood fresh on his knuckles, dripping heavy from Corneo’s nose. Not broken, yet, but bruised. Wide brown eyes lurching up. Shocked and furious. <em>Afraid</em> and that look on this<em> scum </em>snaps something inside him.</p><p>Andrea strikes him again.</p><p>Again.</p><p>And again.</p><p>Every hit feels visceral. Every blow snapping something within him. Feels like his sanity. Feels like the chains that have been wrapped around him every day since he found out just how <em>trapped</em> they all were. Down there in the dark and filth. Clawing towards the idea of something <em>more.</em> Only to have it snatched away by <em>him</em>.</p><p>So Andrea doesn’t stop. Fuels every strike with the rising tide of hate, anger, betrayal, fear and more. The lifelong dam within him bursting. Sending a rush that goes <em>beyond</em> adrenaline sweeping through him. Burning hot and stinging cold.</p><p>His fault. All his fault. It was all <em>his fault—</em></p><p>Andrea won’t let himself stop. For the Market and what it <em>could</em> have been. For the Inn and what he wanted it to be. For the lives lost and changed forever. For his Bees. For Jules. For Mother. For <em>himself</em>—</p><p>Again.</p><p>Again.</p><p><em>Again—</em>!</p><p>Someone stops him. Grabs his arm with immovable strength and with a yell Andrea’s head whips around. Sees Cloud standing beside him. Some of the ice having melted away from his face. Replaced by something else. Not softer, not kinder, but less painful to look at all the same.</p><p>“Andrea.”</p><p>“What?” Andrea snarls and for a moment he doesn’t recognize his own voice. Cloud’s grip on him remains steady.</p><p>“I’m not gonna tell you you can’t. Or even that you shouldn’t. Just...” Cloud’s voice and expression both are even and serious. Unflinching as he meets Andrea’s eye. “Make sure you’re sure.”</p><p>Is he sure? Is he sure this piece of filth deserves nothing less after the <em>hell</em> he’s put them all through? Every death, every life ruined. Every piece of light that made its way down into the gloom torn to shreds or lost to the shadows. All because of this <em>bastard—</em></p><p>Andrea makes himself take a breath. Realizes, as he lets it out again, that he’s shaking. And he doesn’t know why. Could be the adrenaline. The anger. Years of build up rattling the gates of his control.</p><p>But it’s more than that. Can feel it swelling in his chest. A new sort of tightness. Now he’s given himself a moment to breathe. To think.</p><p>Now that he has...</p><p>Andrea doesn’t think he can do it.</p><p>...Does it make him weak? For not being able to do what ought to be done? To make sure that himself and his Bees—his family—never have to worry about this monster coming after them ever again?</p><p>A ridiculous notion. He <em>knows</em> that. But right now it doesn’t feel like any sort of strength. Or weakness. All Andrea knows is it makes him feel <em>wrong</em>.</p><p>And he may be conflicted about many things right now. But...he knows this isn’t the final performance he wishes for on this stage. No. The curtains are stained red enough with the blood of all those he failed. All those he threw into this foul rat’s den.</p><p>No more.</p><p>So instead Andrea grips Cloud’s wrist. Probably too tight. Clinging against the slick of blood. Too much. Lets the other pull him back up to his feet and away. Wonders why his knees feel weak as he stumbles. Grateful that Cloud doesn’t let him fall. Mind spinning and spinning. Around and around without reason or traction. Looks down at the blood on his hands—his and Corneo’s-- and thinks of Mother.</p><p>Would she be disappointed in him? Certainly, with the way his life turned out. So entirely outside of what she wanted. But...but perhaps for this especially.</p><p>“Pathetic.” Corneo rasps, voice weak and near choked on blood. “All this time and you’re still <em>weak</em>. Just like that mewling whore.” His bruised, bloodied and swelling face heinous even as he raises his head. Eyes burning as he glares at Andrea. “You’re <em>nothi-</em>”</p><p>Leslie moves. Steps quick. A flash of silver. A familiar clicking sound—</p><p>Andrea doesn’t even realize what’s happening until it’s over. All he knows is he’s pulled, turned. Nearly dragged off of his feet at the speed and strength of the motion. His vision goes black, ears ringing with thunder. Once.<em> Twice</em>.The acrid scent of gunpowder, mako, sweat, blood and bile.</p><p>Something in Andrea seizes tight. A trembling, distantly horrified realization. Fingers catching tight in the heavy wool of Cloud’s shirt. The only sounds now are the ringing in his ears. Cloud’s steady, if slightly quick heartbeat. His own. Thundering away in his chest. So hard it feels like it might break his bones.</p><p>But there’s no more talking. No more foul voice. Can’t be because—</p><p>“Don’t look.” It’s almost an order. But it’s not. Too gentle for that. Yet it causes Andrea to still even as Cloud’s hand tightens against the back of his head. Keeping Andrea tucked against his shoulder. “He’s not worth it.”</p><p>Trust is a dangerous thing. Andrea knows that.</p><p>He still passes it over into Cloud’s hands. Easily. Willingly. To trust that his trust will not be misused, mistreated or mishandled, is a sensation quite unlike anything Andrea’s ever, ever felt before. Leaves him tingling. Breathless. Clutching tight at Cloud even as he nods. Squeezing his eyes shut as they move.</p><p>The next thing Andrea sees—<em>lets</em> himself see—is Cloud’s face.</p><p>Oh the poor boy looks so tired. Fraught. His hair a mess, face spattered with mud, ash and a smear of blood at one temple. His two toned eyes somehow both wide and focused as they track along Andrea’s face. Not as green as they’d been on the monitors, but certainly not his usual color either. Drifting down to his body occasionally, but so quick to return to Andrea's.</p><p>Still the most beautiful, precious thing Andrea’s ever laid eyes on.</p><p>Andrea reaches to wipe at the blood, only to realize he’s still stained with it. Oh. That won’t be helpful then, will it? Transfixed, Andrea draws his hand back. Stares at his split knuckles and bruises. Distantly aware they ache, but it doesn’t feel all that important right now. What matters is—</p><p>“It’s over...”</p><p>“Yeah. He’s gone.” Cloud’s hand lights on Andrea’s cheek. Steady and warm. Andrea catches it beneath one of his own. “You’re safe.”</p><p>Something in Andrea snaps. Breaks. A glass thread shattering to pieces. Stabs into the back of his eyes. Burns. Makes it hard to see. He turns into the warmth and familiar touch of Cloud’s hand. Buries half of his face into that distant heat and feels his own shuddering, trembling breath rebound back against his skin. Feels the damp caught against the edge of Cloud’s hand and it just makes him tremble harder.</p><p>Sob.</p><p>Andrea hasn’t the first clue why he’s crying. Maybe it’s relief, but it doesn’t feel like it. Not really. Relief is like water, usually. But this...this is nothing. A void that’s churning inside him.</p><p>It gets a little easier to breathe when he finds himself tucked up against Cloud again. Pulled in tight to the other’s firm body and Andrea has half a moment to feel guilty for the blood he’s definitely getting on Cloud’s clothes before he’s lost to the ache again. The one that’s pounding at the inside of his ribs. Crushing his lungs and making it so hard to do anything at all except <em>cry</em>.</p><p>But...but Cloud’s words. That too surreal thought whirls around the void too. Hovers there. Distant, but real as the stars.</p><p><em>Safe</em>. <em>You’re safe—</em></p><p>So Andrea clutches that one thought close and lets everything else go. Stops caring that he’s a wreck over nothing. Stops caring for the hurt and the tears and the awful mess he’s making of them both. Lets everything break over him. Too much to parse out all at once. So slowly, heartbeat by heartbeat, tear by tear Andrea pieces it all together. Claws himself back out of the void one agonizing inch at a time. Out and out until he’s back in his body somewhat properly.</p><p>Oh. Cloud’s talking to him. Takes a moment for Andrea to calm his heart again enough to hear the other over the pounding of it ringing in his ears.</p><p>“-sorry.” The apology has Andrea’s breath catch in his chest. The rest of Cloud’s words filtering through the haze, crystal clear. “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner—”</p><p>“No.” Andrea cuts him off the moment he remembers how to breathe. How words work. Shakes his head and peels back to stare into those impossible eyes. Hates the ache in them. There’s no need for it. “No, you were right where you needed to be.”</p><p>Cloud’s quiet at that. Neither accepting or denying Andrea’s words. There’s another rustle. A brief flare of light in the dingy hall. Then that <em>coolwarm</em> watery sensation brushing all across Andrea. His face, arms, chest, legs. The slow pounding ache in his wrist.</p><p>“Cloud—” Andrea starts. Protest flying to his tongue, but hushed before it ever passes his lips. Cloud dipping down to kiss him. Just the lightest brush of his lips to Andrea’s cheek. So it seems rather unfair how it makes everything in Andrea stall.</p><p>“It’s okay.” Cloud says, apparently uncaring at the listless shake of the dancer’s head. And Andrea can’t seem to get his limbs to cooperate. Should be trying to push Cloud away. Get him to stop. Instead it’s like all he can do is hold Cloud close. Pull him closer.</p><p>Andrea shouldn’t be letting him do this. He’d seen at least a small part of what Cloud and the others had faced down. How hard they’d fought. How much they’d expended in the defence of so many innocent lives. A few scrapes and bruises isn’t worth Cloud pushing himself further. Giving up even more.</p><p>But Cloud’s got that look on his face again. The one that steals all thought, sense and voice from Andrea’s mind. Eyes bright and gentle. Like Cloud’s whole beautiful, impossible heart’s hovering in their depths. Nobody’s ever looked at Andrea like that. Not ever. No one’s ever been like Cloud.</p><p>There’s something shadowy there too though. Like there’d been when Cloud’d asked to heal his ankle. Or when he found Andrea broken down on the floor. Or when Andrea’d injured himself in the first place—</p><p>Oh...</p><p>Oh Cloud’d been afraid.</p><p>Afraid <em>for</em> him.</p><p>How on Gaia had Andrea missed that?</p><p>“Cloud...oh my darling.” This time Andrea catches Cloud between his hands. Cleansed of blood and wounds both. Vanished without a traace. Holding on and brushes at his hair. Stroking his skin. Trying absently to wipe the mess from his face, but also just for the joy of getting to touch him.</p><p>“What do you need...?”</p><p>The idea chokes a laugh from Andrea. Too sharp. Too sudden. Gaia this boy is impossible. Always has been, always. From that very first night. That very first moment. Because Andrea knows Cloud means it. Means that too sweet offer in his voice. Behind those simple words. Andrea could ask for anything, anything at all, and somehow Cloud’d find a way to bring it to him.</p><p>The sky.</p><p>The stars.</p><p>Ridiculous passing fancies really. Especially when Andrea has something—some<em>one—</em>infinitely more precious right here in front of him. Can reach out and cradle that beautiful face between his hands. Drown in eyes that hold a piece of him in them and don’t seem to know it.</p><p>“You.”</p><p>“I’m here.” Cloud says and Andrea can’t help the laugh that bubbles from him. Feels almost too bright. Too...happy for the moment. For where they are and what happened. But he can’t help it. Not in the face of that sweet, wide eyed, near frantic voice. Soothing and gentle as the hands still on him even though he doesn’t feel even an ounce of pain left. The light in Cloud’s eyes that’s nothing to do with magic or mako. “I’m not going anywhere.”</p><p>“Good...”</p><p>He couldn’t say which one of them moves first. Couldn’t say which of them closes the distance. Which of them clutches the other tighter, harder, closer. So close it doesn’t feel like they’re two people, but rather some frantic, gasping, <em>needy</em> amalgamation of one. Sharing the air in their lungs and the strength in their bodies. All twisted up together until everything in Andrea stops shaking. Stabilizes. Condenses. Down into something far stronger than he thinks he’s ever been. Into a crystal that shines with starlight. Until he finally, <em>finally</em> realizes what the rushing, whispering voice in his head is telling him. Over and over. In time to the beat of their hearts.</p><p>Free.</p><p>Free at last.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Welcome to the endnotes. It'll be long, for I am wordy.<br/><strong>Summary Start</strong><br/>Andrea and Leslie infiltrate the Don's hideout hidden in the mountain. Stealing jackets from grunts and delving deep. They manage to make it quite far, but there's no sign of Corneo. However they find Chocobo Sam still working for him. They try to escape and get spotted, Andrea convincing Leslie this isn't worth them dying. During their escape attempt, Leslie is shot and wounded. Andrea uses healing materia on him just before Sam captures him. Andrea's dragged bound, gagged and blindfolded before the Don.<br/>Dropped into a pit like the Collosseum from the Market. Corneo begins to talk about Shinra, SOLDIER and Cloud. Implies both that Cloud's killed all other SOLDIERs and that Shinra intends to rebuilds. He also hints at SOLDIER Degredation. Andrea starting to piece together that could be what's wrong with Cloud.<br/>He's rescued at the last minute by Cloud and Leslie. Cloud cuts off one of the Don's arms and sends him into the pit. Corneo tries to bargain for his life, before drawing a gun. Andrea punches Corneo repeatedly. Stopped by Cloud before he can kill the man. Andrea steps back and Leslie shoots Corneo twice. Cloud warns Andrea not to look and the two leave. Cloud heals him and the two of them kiss. Andrea finally realizing this mean's he's free.<br/><strong>Summary End</strong><br/>Woof. So lots and lots going on. If you gave this chapter a skip, I’m proud of you for looking after your well being. I hope that the summary provided enough that you don’t feel lost. Had a longer one typed, but alas. Character limit said NO.<br/>Should you have any questions at all, leave a comment or hit me up on twitter @lunae_izunia. Always happy to expound.<br/>Anyway! With all the necessaries out of the way~<br/><strong>HAPPY BIRTHDAY DELIVERY!!!</strong><br/>I...honestly can’t fathom that it’s been a year. One of those...feels longer but shorter deals I think haha ^^” But, despite the rocky road and the cliffs I’ve peeked over, I’m glad that I’ve continued this story. Truly. And I couldn’t have done it with out the support I’ve gotten. From my friends and all of you who read this. Whether you kudo, bookmark, comment or just lurk around. I do see you, all of you.<br/>Thank you. From the bottom of my heart.<br/>It’s weird to say but. I’m kinda (un)officially calling this the....the mid-way point of <em>Delivery (from Strife)</em>. Now that’s not to say there’s gonna be ANOTHER forty chapters, 300K+, heavens no <em>*side eyes my brain*</em>. But as far as the plot goes well, expect things to start snowballing fairly fast from here.<br/>What this does mark is sort of the ‘end’ to Andrea’s journey. To begin anew with his rebuild and what not. But the next ‘half’ of this is going to be very Cloud focused. I know some of you’ve been interested in what his whole DEALIO is. We’ve started getting little answers to that here and there. But this storm is coming to a head and if you chose to linger, you may want to bring a raincoat. (&amp;/or tissues...?).<br/>To be entirely honest, this next ‘half’ is what I have intended/wanted to write for ages and ages. It’s the things, moments and plot points and I am excited to get to. I just never thought that it’d take so much out of me to get here. Nor so much build up and set up trying to get Andrea through his journey. But it did and I’m starting to accept that. And I’d never say that there aren’t moments in the first half that shine with all the brightness of Andi’s beloved stars within it. But I also won’t deny the struggle it’s been to get here. And the relief I feel. I hope that doesn’t color anyone opinion of the first half, but if it does, I understand.<br/>With this literal and metaphorical chapter closed, I feel like a great weight has been lifted of my shoulders. I think I’m just as ready as Andrea is for the ‘next step’. I unfortuntaely can’t promise any sort of ‘regularity’ again. My irl life is still up in the air in many ways. But I hope that the ‘muses’ will be kinder now we’ve reach this point.<br/>Anyway! I’ve blathered on for about as long as the dang chapter- whoops. Thank you if you poured through all this. Means more than I can say. If you’ve been around Delivery from the start or only found it this week, know that I’m so grateful you took the time to check this story out. Thank you for giving <em>me</em> a chance to grow as a writer by indulging in something that does truly bring me joy, despite the wild ups and downs. This story has come to mean so much more to me than I ever thought. Especially when I thought it was just going to boil down to- running joke- 10 chapters of smut. But here we are. A whole year, three hundred THOUSAND words and forty chapter later. And there’s still more to come. Because, well, there ain’t no gettin’ off this train we’re on. &lt;3<br/>Until next time, lovely readers.<br/>-Moon</p>
        </blockquote><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
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